Ghost
by Sayuna
Summary: I've already written one before, but I decided to make another Mystery Skulls Fanfic. Arthur rushes Vivi out of the mansion, and things start to go back to normal. With some additional back luck on Arthur's part that is. A few problems with the van, some additional nightmares, and even some sleeping problems, but Arthur can handle it. What if there's more to it though?
1. Escape

Arthur rushed Vivi into the van and started it up, thanking his lucky stars when it did and drove away from the mansion. He felt himself tremble every time he looked into the mirror, even when the van had completely vanished from sight. Vivi looked out the window at the house, until it was just a memory to her. She reached out a hand towards where the mansion once was, and bit her lip gently._ He knew me._ She stared a little longer and carefully pulled herself back into the window before looking to Arthur.

"Why did you do that…?" She said slowly, trying to be patient. She was very frustrated with Arthur, but it wasn't a good idea to let him know it right now. _If I pressure him too much, he'll just bottle everything up again._ She leaned forward in the seat a little when he didn't answer. "Arthur, answer me." Arthur looked at her in the rear view mirror, his face pale.

"Do what Vivi?" He questioned, "Save your life? That thing was trying to kill us!" Vivi looked at him with her arms crossed. _What is he getting so defensive about?! Especially with me?!_

"He wasn't going to hurt me Arthur and you know it," She responded harshly. Arthur glanced at her again in the mirror, then focused on the road again. "Tell me the truth Arthur." Her voice came out almost like poison. Mystery whined softly and pawed at Arthur. They connected eyes for a moment, and unspoken conversation started between the two. Arthur slowly rubbed his left arm, and looked away. Mystery gave a soft growl, but Arthur remained silent. Defeated, Mystery walked onto the opposite side of the seat and laid down. Arthur looked back at Vivi in the mirror and finally mustered an answer.

"I panicked okay?" He said slowly, "I didn't know what that heart was going to do to you. What if he had possessed you by giving you that heart?" Arthur's voice was full of concern, but it somehow felt empty to Vivi. _It's true that ghosts can possess you through objects, but I've never heard of a case where the ghost gives the object directly to you. Not when you knew for a fact the ghost was a ghost._

"You're not making any sense Arthur," Vivi said slowly, then turned to the window and looked back again. "I think we should go back. Maybe he could help him move on." As she said these words, she noticed her friend lose the remaining color in his face.

"NO!" He shouted loudly, and reacted by hitting the breaks hard. Vivi jerked forward a little, but was thankful for her seatbelt.

"WHAT THE HECK ARTHUR?!" She shouted loudly, grabbing Arthur's hair and pulling on it in frustration. "THAT REALLY HURT!"

"Ow! Ow! OOW! Vivi! Stop!" Arthur tried to pull away, when the blue haired only tightened her hold on his hair.

"How could you do that Arthur?!" She shouted into his ear. "Why can't you just tell me what's wrong?! Why can't you just talk to me?!" She ferociously pulled on his hair.

"You're gonna pull it out V! Come on! Stop!" Arthur squirmed unhappily and managed to grab some of her hair. "Maybe I don't want to tell you that I'm a big coward! Maybe I'm scared of you hating me! Maybe THAT'S why I don't talk to you about my feelings! I'm a man for heaven's sake! I was supposed to protect YOU!" Vivi's eyes widened and she slowly released his hair. _I was only wanting to protect him, but I didn't think it'd bother him so much…_ Vivi sighed gently and leaned over his seat more, so she could now look him in the eyes.

"Alright Arthur," She said gently, the edge in her voice gone, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you…" Arthur looked over at her, a touch of sadness in his eyes. _He looks like he wants to say something…_ "Is there something else?"

"No there isn't," Arthur said automatically. Just like that, Arthur shut himself up and looked back to the road. _If he was going to say something, he isn't now. Way to go Vivian._ She knew immediately by Arthur's voice that he wasn't going to talk to her anymore, not about that subject. Frustrated, Vivi sank back down into her seat as the van moved forward again. Vivi crossed her arms and took a few deep breaths, calming herself down. _Why doesn't he talk to me anymore? He used to share all his feelings with me, and now he can't even give me a proper explanation._

"Do you hate me or something Arthur?" She asked suddenly, breaking the silence. She saw Arthur bite his lip, his eyes sadden once again.

"No V," He said softly, his voice cracking slightly, "No I don't hate you V… You've always been my best friend… I could never hate you… Never…" He slowed the car a little and looked at her again.

"Then why won't you talk to me Arthur?" Vivi asked gently, pressing the issue very tenderly.

"Because I don't want you to hate me…" He answered, his voice hallow.

"But Arthur, you're my best friend," Vivi said softly, "I could never hate you." Arthur looked her in the eyes, and she almost felt him say 'I doubt that', but the words never came from Arthur's lips. Vivi sighed gently at him and hugged herself. "Please have more confidence in me Arthur. I was still friends with you after you startled the new girl in high school and made her run away from me." Arthur rolled his eyes at this memory.

"First of all," He commented, "That was not my fault. I was simply decorating for the Halloween festival, and got some scary decorations stuck to me. Secondly, I could have sworn she stuck around until you dragged her through that haunted house attraction." Vivi's face turned pink and she shook her head slowly.

"She said she was cool!" She defended herself, earning a gentle laugh from Arthur. Vivi hugged herself a little more, and started to shiver. "Turn off the A.C. Arthur. My teeth are going to start chattering!" Arthur looked at the little dials and then back to her.

"It is off Vivi," He informed her, "Are you sure it's not the air from your window?" Vivi looked at the window and blushed gently.

"I didn't think it was that cold outside," She mumbled gently as she slowly cranked the window closed. She hugged herself and gently pulled her arms into her sweater, thankful it was a little oversized. "It's still cold in here." Arthur leaned forward a little and started adjusting the heat. She pulled her arms back into her sleeves just as he started to speak again.

"Sorry V," He said gently, "It seems the heater is acting up again. I'll have to take a look at it tomorrow." He sighed gently. _Great, another problem with the van, as if there wasn't enough. I'll have to really look under the hood tomorrow and look for problems. I know we can't afford to take it to a shop._ Arthur sighed gently and rubbed his temple with his flesh arm and let out a small groan. "We didn't technically solve this case, did we?" He looked back at Vivi and she responded by biting her lip.

"No we didn't," Vivi said slowly, "The mansion disappeared, but that was in the reports. It'll probably reappear again in a few hours or so, so we can't prove that we even went in there." She crossed her arms and sighed.

"We're not going back there," Arthur said sharply, "We were not told that it would be a dangerous ghost. They lied to us and said it was perfectly safe. We are NOT going back." Vivi could hear the harsh tone in his voice, and it made her pout.

"Since when do you have the right to command this team?" She said defiantly, "Last I checked, I was the fearless leader." Arthur could hear the disdain in her voice, but he wasn't going to back down. _I can't have her going back and trying to solve this mystery. She would never forgive me if she knew…_ Arthur felt a chill run down his spine, and he used his flesh hand to zip up his vest as a result.

"You would've said the same thing," Arthur said insistently, "I just beat you to the punch. You always hated it when our clients lied about the situation, and you always dropped them for it, no matter how small it was. Now it's wrong when I do the same thing?" Vivi opened her mouth to argue, but closed it again. _How am I supposed to argue with myself?_ She shook her head slowly.

"Who know…when you try, you can be pretty hard to argue with…" Vivi crossed her arms and pouted, and Arthur cracked a smile. The moment was broken when Arthur's teeth started to chatter.

"It is cold in here…" He gripped the steering wheel a little harder as he tried to concentrate on driving. Vivi looked out the window and watched the signs that went by, until one caught her eye.

"There's a motel in the next exit," She said plainly, and Arthur threw on the blinker immediately.

"We don't really have enough money for a motel though," Arthur began to protest, but Vivi was quick to interject.

"We'll share a room then." Arthur started to blush at the thought of being in the same room with her, but Mystery's loud bark from the other side of Vivi snapped him out of it. He was always right there as a reminder. Vivi's teeth started to chatter too, and she pulled her arms back into her sweater. "I just want out of this cold van. I swear I'm going to freeze from riding in here too long." Arthur pushed down on the gas petal a little more and finally neared on the motel. Vivi was the first to get out, letting Mystery out too, then quickly walked towards the motel lobby. "I'll go get a room. Can you see about fixing the van a little while I'm at it?" Before Arthur could respond, Vivi disappeared into the motel, with Mystery at her heels.

Arthur sighed loudly, then turned to the van. He raised the hood and used a flashlight to look over the engine. Everything looked perfectly fine. Arthur started to lean into the van, when a cold chill ran down his shoulders. He decided to close the hood and went rummaging in the trunk for his clothing. He rolled his sleeves down all the way, pulled on a separate orange jacket, and then found a nice pair of gloves to put on too. Feeling a little warmer, Arthur locked up the van and walked towards the hotel.

"Did you get us a room?" He asked as the blue haired girl came out of the lobby.

"Of course I did," She said softly, happily waving the keys in front of his face. She led the way to the room and let him inside. It didn't take long for both teens and their little dog to find places to lay down. Vivi got the bed, after much arguing with Arthur over who deserved it more, him winning in the end. Arthur laid down on the pull out couch and found some comfort under a nice wool blanket. He didn't even mind that Mystery had jumped in the bed with Vivi that night. For the moment, he was comfortable, and he didn't know how long that would last.

In their business, it was rare to have a peaceful night for sleeping.


	2. Hired

Vivi woke the next morning with the bed she was laying in empty, and the couch where Arthur had been in a mess. She gave out a loud sigh as she got up and looked around the room. Finding it empty however, she slowly walked outside to where she heard Mystery barking. _Not again._ She followed the sounds of Mystery's barking until she found him by the lobby door. Arthur was asleep with his back against the wall, without any shoes on. Vivi rubbed her eyes and slowly walked up to the man. She kneeled down in front of him and gently cupped his face with her hands. "Arthur, it's time to wake up." She gently patted his cheeks until he began to stir. He stretched slowly and looked at her through squinted eyes.

"What time is it V?" He asked tiredly as he looked at his watch. It was 11 A.M., not really early, but not really late either. He looked up to her questioningly, before finally seeing the bigger picture. He looked to the side and sighed softly, before meeting her gaze. "I was sleep walking again huh?" Vivi had to resist a sarcastic remark, but she nodded at him.

"Yeah," She mumbled, "Found you out here with Mystery barking. I hope no one complains." Arthur sighed softly and started climbing to his feet, a little sleepy, but otherwise unharmed.

"Thank goodness we didn't have a room on the second floor," He said softly, stifling a yawn the best he could. "Does this place have a continental breakfast or whatever?" His question was answered with a shrug, so he tiredly walked into the lobby. To his joy, he found a buffet style breakfast waiting for him. Vivi followed behind him quickly, and they both took a moment to enjoy. Vivi once again practiced one of her favorite pass times; stacking odd ingredients together to make an extra-large sandwich. Today's sandwich was 14 layers, the two outside pieces being waffles, while the inside was randomly filled with layers of eggs, bacon, sausages, and any other ingredient she could find. Arthur started to wonder how she planned to fit the large sandwich in her mouth, when she pressed it together with incredible force, until it finally submitted and flattened. Arthur ate a lot too, but he preferred to eat them how they were served. His plate was especially piled high with bacon and sausage, with a cup of coffee accompanying them. Vivi looked over at him and raised an eyebrow.

"You're going to have a heart attack from all that grease," She said teasingly, then snatched a piece of bacon from his plate and promptly ate it. Arthur started to protest, but was met with one of Vivi's excuses. "I'm just trying to buy you some more time." This was followed by an innocent smile, which defeated Arthur instantly. He slumped back a little in his chair and sighed gently.

"One of these days, you're going to make a sandwich you can't fit in your mouth," He said slowly. Vivi smiled broadly at him.

"I'll always find a way," She said happily. Arthur rolled his eyes at her. _I should really steal a piece of bacon and make it even…_ He stared at her plate for a second, but soon reconsidered. _No No… There is no way I'm evoking her wraith so early in the morning._ He let out a long sigh and continued to eat his breakfast. The spunky blue finished her plate first and found a newspaper stand nearby. She started searching through the old pages, when Arthur heard her let out an excited gasp. _Here we go again._ As if reading his mind, Vivi slid next to him and opened the newspaper for him to see.

"They say that the woods nearby are being haunted," She said cheerfully, as if she was talking about a shoe sale. "You know we've gotta check it out. I'm sure the mayor would be happy to 'compensate' us for our time." Arthur sighed loudly and looked to the side slowly.

"I don't know V…" He replied slowly, unhappily rubbing his left arm. "I'm not a fan of getting lost in the woods again… I'm always the one who gets kidnapped after all." Vivi grinned at him from ear to ear.

"That's why I'm here," She answered happily, "Because I'm not afraid to come rushing in to save you." She patted his back as if it was already decided. _I can't let her just make that decision all on her own._

"Well, what happens if you get in trouble too?" He asked defensively. The blue haired girl looked into the air, thinking for a moment, before she pulled their little pup into her lap.

"Mystery will save me of course," She said cheerfully. The little dog barked happily, excepting this duty. Arthur tensed a little. _Our little 'I'm just pretending to be a dog' dog could protect her, but that would come at the cost of showing what he really was. I wonder if he'd actually do that… He only showed me because…THAT happened…_ Arthur shuddered at the memory.

"That's putting a lot of faith into one little dog," Arthur replied, earning an angry bark from Mystery. Arthur sighed loudly and hung his head in defeat. "Fine, we'll do it, but we better get paid for this one. We can't keep the van running on hope and a dream after all." He stood up a little straighter and finished what was on his plate. "Speaking of, I'm going to go check on the van, see if there's something wrong with it." He got up from the table and made his way out to the van.

The van seemed normal to him. The engine was fine, the oil level was good, the battery was practically new, and all the fluids were topped off. _It never should've acted up last night… Could there be a wiring problem that I'm missing?_ Arthur leaned a little farther into the hood, balancing himself on the edge of the hood with his metallic hand. _Is that it?_ He reached up slowly and carefully shifted his weight. He was just about to reach it, when he heard Vivi shout.

"Are we ready to go yet?!" Arthur jumped back quickly and looked at her, just as the hood came crashing down. Arthur's metallic hand was caught by the hood, stuck since the locking mechanism activated immediately.

"Almost V," He said slowly, scratching the back of his head. "I just need you to pop the hood from inside the van. I'm a little stuck." Vivi came around the van and saw his hand, then slowly shook her head.

"You should be more careful," She commented, shaking her head. _At least it was his metal arm. That thing is pretty useful, but it can't feel for him._ She opened the driver's door and pushed the button. Arthur used his free hand to lift the hood up again and looked around for the support bar. He spotted it easily, but sighed loudly when he did. _It's bent… I have been making a lot of repairs lately. Maybe this old thing finally gave way._ He scratched his head slowly and closed the hood again. He then slipped in the van beside Vivi and started up the van.

"Yeah… You've said that before." Arthur started driving as Vivi pulled out a map. She marked the route and gave Arthur directions as he drove. "Are we stopping somewhere before we go into the woods? We really don't have much supplies in the van." Vivi looked at her map, and nodded gently.

"There's a small store, but before that we're stopping at the town hall." She smiled widely. "We can't provide our services for free after all." _She seems a little evil when she talks about money…_ Arthur kept his mouth shut, knowing better than to insult Vivi. He decided to keep his eyes on the road and followed her instructions instead.

It didn't take long for them to reach the town hall. The building itself looked abandoned, but Vivi didn't stop. She immediately hopped out of the van and climbed the steps, Arthur and Mystery struggling to keep up to her again. She barged right in and immediately found his office. The Mayor did not look happy, but Vivi gave him a classic smile. "I heard you've been having a problem with the woods around your town… People disappearing, others coming out screaming, and even animals acting strange once they've left the woods." The Mayor's face was priceless, as if he'd been kicked in the stomach.

"What is your point?" He demanded, sitting forward more in his seat.

"My point is, these are signs of a haunting," Vivi answered sharply, "And you're in luck, because we're the ones they call when the paranormal acts up. I am confident we can solve the problem and return your town to how it was…at a price." There it was. The Mayor looked at his hands, thinking for a few minutes, before he returned his gaze to Vivi.

"How much are we talking here?" She had him. Hook, line, and sinker. They negotiated a price, and Vivi had him draw up a contract. She left making the Mayor feel like he'd won something, but Arthur had a hard time keeping his laughter to himself.

"I can't believe you got him to pay double our standard rate," He chuckled as soon as they were out of ear shot.

"He was a total sleaze," She responded with a shrug. "He made my skin crawl. All he cares about it making the problem disappear so he can win the next campaign." Vivi sighed loudly and slipped into the van. Arthur got in beside her, with Mystery hopping into his lap and crawling over to the free space next to Vivi.

"Am I to assume you're not a fan of politicians?" Arthur asked, earning a scowl from Vivi. "Of course not. How dumb of me to ask." They drove the van to the nearest market, with Arthur going in to buy groceries on his own. He had to get the essentials. Hot dogs, hot dog buns, chips, and a few packs of sodas. The easiest and quickest snacks they could buy. Arthur finished the trip by going to the back and buying a bag of ice to keep the sodas cold. He was back out in a flash and packed the van, before finally getting back in the van and started it up again. It did not take long for them to reach the entrance of the forest.

Vivi was the first one to comment on how the forest looked.

"This…forest looks…dead…" It truly did. Since it was late in autumn, all the leaves have turned brown and fallen off the trees. The ground was littered with brown leaves, unkempt, and the trees all seemed to be twisted and distorted. Nothing in the forest looked natural. Mystery let out a low growl, warning the others that something evil was there.

"Is it too late to back out…?" He asked slowly. Vivi looked over to him, raising an eye brow.

"Yes Arthur, it's too late." He sighed loudly and went back to the van. He picked up a backpack full of camping gear and slung it over his shoulders. He then backed all the food in the cooler and picked it up. Vivi checked her map and marked on it close to where she thought the van was. "First thing we need to do is go to the camp grounds. Then, we'll split up and explore the woods." Arthur looked up at the sky, seeing the sun starting to hide behind the hills in the distance.

"It'll be dark by then V…" Arthur whined. Vivi looked to him and smiled.

"We have flashlights," She replied calmly, "Besides, everyone knows that spirits are more active at night." Arthur let out a long groan, but Vivi just smiled and started heading into the woods.

~.~

**Message from Author:**

**Thanks everyone for reading my fanfic(s). I'm working in my free time to get more out to you, and I was starting to get a little discouraged when I didn't get a review. I appreciate the views, but I was a bit worried when no one would tell me if I was doing this right. I finally got my first review (you know who you are) and I want to tell you I really appreciate it. I'm going to keep writing for you and everyone like you! Please send me a review! Even something short works if you'll be honest! Until next time.**


	3. Something's Wrong

Arthur was right. By the time the managed to get to the campsite and set up their tents, it was dark outside. Vivi started rummaging through her bag until she two large balls of string, one blue and one yellow. She handed him the yellow one, then proceeded to tie one end of the blue one to a tree. "I'm guessing that most of the people who disappear here simply get lost. In the reports I read, almost everyone who went missing showed up sooner or later, but they were usually delirious when they did. We might not even have a real haunting this time." Arthur started tying his string around the same tree Vivi had.

"But Mystery was growling when we entered the forest," He pointed out, "And Mystery always does that when there is some sort of spirit here." _If only we had paid more attention to him when we went into the cave…_ Arthur stopped his thoughts immediately. _If Vivi caught me thinking about the cave, she'd be interrogating me until…until I had to break her heart…_ Arthur rubbed his left arm again, feeling more nervous about his own thoughts than the woods.

"Yeah, but he's overprotective," She said sharply. Arthur looked over to her to see she was trying to make a flashlight work.

"Here V," He said as he traded flashlights with her. "That one's touchy. I'm used to it." He messed with the bulb for a moment, before the flashlight turned on. Vivi smiled happily.

"So now we've got to split up." She said calmly, "I'll go east, and you go west. We'll both go for an hour, then we'll both turn around and come back. We should meet back up at 10. If neither of us have news, then we'll go in the remaining directions." Arthur looked down at Mystery, who didn't seem to like the idea either, but he didn't complain. He wasn't growling anymore, but he was looking around expectantly for something to show up.

"Fine…" He said slowly, "But you're taking Mystery with you. There's no telling what's in this forest, so I want you to have some sort of protection in case of wild animals." Vivi rolled her eyes.

"Arthur, there's nothing around here," She said unhappily, "There are no bears, no wolves, and especially no lions. I'll be fine."

"Take him with you anyway," Arthur insisted, "You never know. The small creatures aren't always friendly either." Vivi rolled her eyes, but gave in.

"Fine, I'll take the power pup," She sighed. She checked her pockets, making sure she had everything she needed, before slowly unraveling the string. "Set your watch Arthur. I'm heading out now." She smiled happily and pointed her flashlight into the dark. "And I'll know if you just hung out around here the whole time! Don't be lazy mister!" With her fond parting words, she vanished into the woods. Arthur shook his head slowly and turned his flashlight in the opposite direction.

"She says that…but I'm always the one who gets in trouble with these things…" He sighed loudly and carefully started walking through the woods. _As long as it's me and not Vivi…then I'll be able to handle it._

Arthur walked and walked for what felt like forever, but when he looked at his watch, it had only been 10 minutes. He pressed on, slowly losing his sense of direction as he continued into farther and farther away from the campsite. It was very dark outside at this point. Arthur could hear the sounds of night birds chirping loudly all around him, and the sounds of insects buzzing as well. He could hear his own shallow breathing despite the noise around him, a little shallow and quick.

Without warning, his flashlight flickered and went out completely. Arthur tried to fix it in the dark. He played with the switch a little, twisted the bulb slowly, and even tried replacing the batteries. The flashlight refused to turn back on. _No worries… All I have to do is go back to the campsite and get a new one. Simply as that._ He grabbed the string and started following it back slowly, when the string in his hands came to an end abruptly. The string was supposed to be tied off to a tree near the campsite, but it wasn't. Instead, the end of the string looked as if it had been torn. _Perfect. I probably broke it…_ Arthur sighed loudly and started walking in the direction he thought camp was. _It's fine. Everything is fine. Just a little bad luck is all._

His bad luck seemed to continue.

Arthur walked endlessly, stumbling over different roots he could no longer see. "What a pain in the butt…" He mumbled out loud. "I can't see a thing! At this rate, I'm going t-" As the words left his mouth, he felt his foot get caught underneath a root. He fell forward and hit the ground face first, unable to react fast enough to stop it. "Ow…" he whined. He started to get back up, when a shooting pain went through his ankle. _I've rolled it…Or sprained it… I've done something to it… This isn't my night…_

Arthur slowly climbed back up to his feet, holding onto one tree to help support his weight. He started walking carefully, being sure not to put weight on his bad ankle. He walked forward a little more, when he a light could his attention. _Is that Vivi? Maybe not her flashlight, but if she's back, then she might've lit a fire. I'm not lost after all!_ Arthur moved a little faster towards the light, winching softly with the added pressure on his ankle. _Vivi is good with first aid. She'll fix me up. She always does._ Arthur walked forward a little faster when the light seemed to grow brighter. He moved faster and faster, his heart starting to race.

Then his feet went out from under him, and he fell down a very steep hill.

Unable to see what was in front of him, he instinctively threw his arms up over his face as he tumbled for what felt like years. Arthur finally stopped at what he thought was the bottom, lying flat on his back, looking up at the stars. He could feel bruises starting to form all over his body, a certain degree of soreness starting to set in. _I give up… I'll just stay here until morning…when the sun comes out…I'll find the camp… Mystery will protect Vivi through the night…but I can't make it back like this… I should've stopped when I realized the string was broke… I'm so stupid…_ Arthur let out a long sigh and stared up at the stars._ At least it's warm outside tonight…_

He closed his eyes and slowly started to drift into a painful sleep.

"Giving up so easily?"

Arthur sat straight up, forgetting about the pain momentarily, and looked around for the source of the voice.

"Who's there…?" He asked slowly, searching around in the dark, but not seeing anyone. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the dark by now, but he was still having problems seeing around him.

"You're such a wimp," the voice came again, "You're just so pathetic. I can't see why she keeps you around. You're nothing but a glorified mechanic. She could easily get someone else." Arthur jumped to his feet, immediately regretting it when his ankle seemed to burn under his weight. _Where is that voice coming from?!_ He searched around for the source of the voice, finding nothing around him. He also noticed that it had become deathly quiet around him.

"Where are you?!" He shouts loudly, "You insult me, but you're hiding like a coward!" Arthur felt a strong wind gust from behind him. He felt a hot breath on his neck, and his body began to tremble.

"You're the coward Arthur…" the voice said eerily into his ear, "But that hasn't changed at all." Arthur didn't dare turn around. Instead, he took a deep breath and took off sprinting, ignoring the dull ache in his foot as he tried to get away. "You can't run from me Arthur!" The voice shouted from behind him, its voice echoing eerily. Arthur didn't reply, but kept running as fast as he could. "You can't outrun my Arthur! You know you can't! I've always been STRONGER than you after all." Arthur trembled as he ran. He dove quickly between two trees and finally turned his head to see who it was that was chasing him.

Lewis was right behind him, floating slightly above the air as he chased him. Arthur bit his lip to keep from screaming as he stared back into the glowing purple irises that came from inside the floating skull.

"Y-You disappeared!" Arthur shouted as he looked repeatedly looked over his shoulder at the ghost, trying to increase the distance.  
>"Oh, I only wanted you to think that," He said eerily as his eyes glistened, "But I'm going to follow you Arthur. I'm going to follow you all the way to your grave Arthur. You know why? I'M GOING TO PUT YOU IN IT!" Arthur shrieked loudly at this and gained even more speed, he looked ahead and threw his arms out in front of him, the bright flames of the ghosts head making him lose his eye adjustment to the dark. Arthur ran and ran until his foot caught onto another root. He tripped and fell forward harder than before, landing with his face flat on the ground and his arms outstretched in front of him. <em>How can I trip twice and hurt the same ankle twice?!<em> Arthur heard the sound of someone coming from behind. _I can't run anymore! I've got to hide!_ Arthur felt around carefully and found a bush close to where he fell. He managed to crawl inside as the figure flew pass him, unaware that Arthur was no longer in front of him.

Arthur watched with horror as the apparition stopped up ahead and turned around, and started coming back to where he was hiding. "Oh Arthur… Come out…Come out…where ever you are…" Arthur pulled his legs close to his chest and made himself as small as possible, and covered his mouth with his right hand. He tried to calm his breathing and make it as soft as possible, but panic made it harder. He closed his eyes and trembled almost violently. _Please don't find me… Please…Please just look over me… I'm so scared…_ He listened intently as he heard the apparition pass him slowly. Arthur opened his eyes and watched as the apparition started to disappear in the distance. Arthur held his breath as he carefully started to get up, not taking his eyes off the figure, and moved in the opposite direction. He gained more and more distance from him, getting farther and farther from the apparition. _A little more and I can run away from him without him hearing me… I'm almost there…_

That's when his watch started to beep, telling him that it had been exactly an hour since he left camp. He tried to turn it off quickly, but in the dark, he couldn't find the right button. When he finally managed to turn it off, he looked up to see Lewis facing him, his eyes locked on him. "Found you…" Lewis said slowly, his skull seemingly turning into an angry frown. Arthur turned around sharply and started to make another run for it. His ankle hurt more and more with every step he took, and he could feel his speed decreasing. _I can't outrun him… I know I can't outrun him… What am I going to do?! What am I going to do!? _Arthur started to look over his shoulder, to check the distance between him and Lewis, when he ran into someone standing in front of him. Arthur fell back and raised his hands up to protect himself, when a flashlight shone on him.


	4. Empty Woods

"Arthur…?" Vivi asked slowly, blinking gently, "What are you doing here?" Arthur blinked slowly, squinting from the bright light now in his face.

"Vivi… We've gotta!" Arthur looked over his shoulder, expecting to see Lewis in his face, but there was nothing.

"We've gotta what Arthur…?" She asked slowly, glancing where he had come from. Arthur looked to her and paled a little. _I can't tell her… I just can't… I can't tell her I was being chased by that ghost from the mansion… She'll ask me what the ghost has against me… She'll try to find the truth… She can't know the truth… She'll hate me._

"We've gotta…get back to camp…" Arthur said slowly as he looked at her. "I broke my string somehow and got lost… Is yours still in one piece?" Vivi smiled softly and showed him a blue thread in her hands.

"Mine's good," She said happily. Vivi climbed to her feet and offered a hand out to Arthur. "Come on Art… It's getting late, and this horror show is pretty much solved." Arthur took her hand and slowly got to his feet.

"What do yo-OUCH!" Arthur fell over slightly and grabbed a nearby tree, not wanting to pull Vivi down with his weight. His ankle burned intensively, and now that the adrenaline was out of his system, he could only focus on the pain. Vivi saw his face and her eyes widened.

"Are you okay?" She asked, quickly putting her arm under his shoulder.

"I-I think so…" He said slowly, "I-I think I-I twisted m-my a-ankle though… I-I tripped on a root…" He left out the fact that he had been running on it and tripped a second time, but Vivi didn't question him right then.

"I've got a first aid kit at camp," She assured him as she started leading him back towards camp. "While I'm bandaging you up, I'll explain this case to you. You won't believe what Mystery and I found while you were away." Arthur followed her carefully, trying his best to keep his weight off of her.

"After all the cases we've done, I doubt that V." He said slowly, quickly glancing over his shoulder at the dark. _After tonight, I'm sure nothing would surprise me anymore._

She got him back to camp easily, then turned on a few different lanterns they had stashed away before setting to work on Arthur. She carefully removed his shoe and sock, letting out a slow breath when she saw his ankle. "It looks like you've sprained it Arthur," She said slowly as she gently took it in his hands. Arthur couldn't hold back a small whimper as she carefully moved his foot. "It's swollen and bruised, and it obviously hurts when I move it… Does it hurt when you move your knee?" Arthur looked down at her and shook his head slowly.

"Only the ankle…" He said slowly. Vivi turned it over a little more, before grabbing the first-aid kit from her backpack.

"It doesn't feel like you popped it out of place, but I think you tore something." Vivi said calmly. "We'll have to get you some crutches." She found an ace wrap and carefully wrapped Arthur's foot, making sure not to cut off any circulation. She then handed him some Ibuprofen and water, before making an ice pack from a plastic bag and some ice from the cooler. She placed a towel on his ankle before placing the ice pack over it. "There…hold this to your ankle from the next 20 minutes or so." Vivi smiled as Arthur quickly grabbed the ice pack and held it firmly against his ankle.

"Thanks V…" He said slowly, the pain only fading a little. "You said you'd already solved this case?" He looked up at Vivi and saw her smile.

"Well, Mystery did the hard part," She said happily as she took a seat next to Arthur. "While we were exploring, we saw an odd fire glowing in the distance. I turned off my flashlight and slowly snuck up on the campfire, and I found a group of filmmakers laughing and hanging out. I've got it on film. For the past few months, they've been out here filming the adventures of whoever came into the forest, even scaring some of them. From what I got on film, they paid the people to keep quiet about what they had done." Arthur sat back a little in his seat and sighed loudly.

"A bunch of college kids having fun…" Arthur said slowly, unable to hide his annoyance. "How did Mystery do the hard part exactly?" Vivi smiled, hoping he would ask.

"Well, Mystery snuck up on them and scared all of them!" She said eagerly. "He chased them all completely out of the forest. I caught it all on film! The best part? I think one of those guys wet his pants when he was running away!" She leaned back and laughed loudly. Arthur smiled and chuckled gently, the pain starting to fade now.

"You really enjoyed yourself…" Arthur said slowly.

"Oh yeah," Vivi said quickly, "After they ran, we scooped up their equipment. We have all their films from their little 'project' out here. Once we give these to the Mayor, we'll definitely get paid." Arthur looked as her cheerful smile and tilted his head.

"You're leaving out something…" Arthur said slowly, "Usually you're a little upset when you learn that a haunting was faked, yet you're extra cheerful." Vivi looked away and smiled even more. Arthur stared at her for a few minutes, then smiled. "You've already made a copy of their videos, haven't you?"

Vivi didn't answer him, but she smiled from ear to ear.


	5. Dreaming

Getting all the supplies back to the van proved tricky, since Arthur couldn't walk on his ankle, but eventually they loaded it up and got going. Vivi made Arthur sit in the passenger seat, with his foot placed on the dash to keep it elevated. He was nervous when the young woman started to drive the van, but was pleasantly surprised by how well she handled it. "I can't believe you've already got this down," Arthur commented as he leaned back in his seat.

"I've been watching you drive for a while," Vivi chimed, "I was bound to learn it eventually." Arthur smiled softly at her and leaned farther back in his seat.

"This feels nice…" Arthur said slowly, "I'm going to…just take a small nap…" Within seconds, Arthur fell asleep where he sat. Vivi looked over at him and smiled softly. _He was exhausted… I guess he stressed himself out when he went into the dark alone… His string broke… His flashlight wasn't working… He must've been terrified…_ She looked over at him again and sighed softly. Mystery scooted closer to her and laid his head against her lap.

"Mystery buddy…" She said between sighs, "If only you could talk… Maybe then you could tell me what's bothering him… He always talks to you…" Mystery replied by whining softly and lowering his ears, looking very guilty. "Don't look at me that way. It's not your fault… I'll have to get it out of him slowly…but first…I've got to figure out why he's afraid to tell me…" Vivi sighed and drove the van back to city hall herself, remembering the directions from earlier, then went inside. She wasn't surprised to see the Mayor was still there, working late on what appeared to be some campaign slogans. _Seriously, do these people have lives outside of this crap?_ She sighed softly and easily slipped into his office.

"Well well," the Mayor said stiffly, "Did the forest scare you little girl? You're back awfully soon." Vivi rolled her eyes. _You wouldn't even enter them to begin with._

"You underestimated my group," She said calmly as she carried a few disks to his desk. "Right here is the proof that your 'Haunted Forest' is nothing more than a long college prank, with the faces of all the people involved. We've driven them out using the same technique they did to scare away travelers, so now I'm here to receive payment." Vivi placed the disks down on his desk, but did not remove her hand. "You can have these disks…when I receive the money." _I don't trust this guy one bit… He's a little too prideful for such a pathetic little man…_ The Mayor stiffened suddenly, then turned away from her and rummaged through something in his drawer.

"Alright…Alright… I'll pay up…" He said as if disappointed. Vivi was not impressed. The Mayor turned back to her with an envelope in his hand. "Here it is… Give me the disks and I'll hand over the check." Vivi had to stifle a groan. _What is this? A mafia movie? I hate this routine, it's so cliché._

"Same time," She said sharply. The stared at each other and slowly slid the items towards each other, and, as if in sync, snatched the opposite items. Vivi smiled as she opened the envelope and examined the contents. _I almost expected it to be fake…_ She waved at the Mayor and turned on her heel. "Been nice doing business with you. Don't be afraid to call us next time you have a mystery for us to solve." Vivi couldn't stop smiling as she got back into the van and started it up. She checked on Arthur, who was still sleeping, then started driving away happily. _We'll rent a nice hotel for a few days and enjoy some rest. Arthur needs it after what he did to his ankle. _She looked over at her friend again and sighed loudly. "Why must he always get himself in trouble? He didn't encounter anything this time, but he still managed to hurt him." Mystery sat up and whined softly, before laying his head back down. "I know Mystery… I know… He's so accident proned… Yet he still sends you with me. I can't tell whether he's being chivalrous or just plain stupid."

It only took an hour to find a place to stay, but Vivi was dead tired. She pulled into the parking lot and got out slowly, stretching gently from having to stay in one position for so long. "I'll never take Arthur's driving for granted again. I feel so stiff!" She yawned softly and slowly walked into the lobby. There was a tired looking man at the counter, next to no hair on his head and blue eyes that were blood shot. _He needs more than coffee._ Vivi walked up to him and smiled softly. "Hey, I need two rooms tonight." She said happily. The man looked at her and stayed silent for a moment, as if he didn't hear her, then looked down at the book in front of her.

"How many nights?" He asked in a dull, even voice. Vivi had to stifle a groan._ He sounds like my old History teacher… The same monotone voice that put me to sleep._

"Two nights please," She answered, managing to keep her smile. The man sighed loudly, the flipped through his book. He finally settled on a page.

"I've got two rooms open, but they're not very close together," He stated plainly. Vivi felt her eye twitch, as she forced the smile to stay. _I wish this guy would talk like he actually wanted to keep his job._

"That's fine," Vivi spoke softly. "Just tell me how much, and I'll pay you." The man looked at her, then down to the book again, being painfully slow about it.

"$100," He said finally. Vivi was taken aback by the low price.

"Really…?" She asked slowly.

"Yes," He said slowly, "Not many people come in here and try as hard as you to be nice, and it's late. $100." Vivi smiled genuinely at the man and fished the last $100 bill out of her pocket. _I'll be happy to cash this check tomorrow._ The man took the money and gave her two keys. "You have a nice night now."

"Thank you," Vivi replied honestly before leaving and going back to the van. Arthur was drowsy, but he managed to wake up enough to walk with Vivi to his room. The moment he hit the bed, he rolled over and started to snore again. Vivi placed her hands on her hips and sighed loudly. "You can be such a big baby…" Arthur stretched his arm out and moaned softly.

"I….not…am….am not…." He mumbled tiredly, not even bothering to open his eyes. Shortly after this little outburst, Arthur fell back asleep. Vivi shook her head softly and left the key to his room on the nightstand, before walking back to her room. She heard Mystery following her, and opened the door for the little dog.

"You don't like his snoring either, huh?" She asked the little dog. He barked softly and pawed at his ears, before laying his head down and whining softly. "I know what you mean. I'm surprised he doesn't wake himself up." Vivi changed into a night gown and crawled into the bed, finding comfort in the thick covers that were over her. She closed her eyes and started to fall asleep, when her thoughts started to race. _Now that I think about it…Arthur's ankle looked like it took a lot of extra strain… The last time he just sprained it, it barely bruised and didn't swell…but this time… His ankle was black and really swollen… Did he run on it? That would explain it, but Arthur didn't mention that. That means that Arthur is ashamed to tell me why he was running… Was he running from someone? Something? Or did he get spooked by the woods and run out of panic?_ Vivi grabbed her pillow and pushed it against her face. "IF HE'D TALK TO ME, THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM!" Mystery whined softly and pawed at her. Vivi sighed softly and made herself stop thinking about it.

_I'll have him talk tomorrow…_

In Arthur's room, he slept on his back for a change, his arms out to his sides and legs spread, resembling a starfish. He snored loudly, exhaustion preventing him from having any dreams. He looked so peaceful when he slept so soundly, but it didn't last. Arthur's face scrunched up, similar to what he did before he cried, and he suddenly rolled onto his side, curling himself in a ball.

The nightmare began again.

_The green fog seemed to surround him as he followed close behind a tall man. He was wearing a white shirt with a purple vest, purple jeans, and matching boots. His hair was an unnatural purple color as well, and though he couldn't see it, he knew he was wearing a light purple tie and had reddish, violet eyes. He followed this man up a long tunnel, carefully watching his feet as they went up an uneven surface. He held onto the guys shoulders, somehow feeling protected, but he let go of his shoulders when the tunnel ended. In front of them was a cliff, which overlooked a long cesium of stalagmites. He didn't follow the guy out onto the cliff, being terrified of how high up he was._

_"__I don't think this is a good idea," He mumbled softly, but the purple haired guy didn't pay any attention to him. He looked out at him and sighed gently. "Lewis…" He held out his hand, when he heard another voice behind him. _

**_"_****_He never listens to you," _**_the voice said eerily, whispering in his ear, __**"It's not like you're trying to upset him, but you're concerned about his safety. It's so sad that he won't listen to you."**__ Arthur looked around, searching for the voice, but found no one._

_"__Wh-Who's?" Arthur began, but his voice caught in his throat. He froze where he stood as the voice returned._

**_"_****_It's not the first time he's ignored you," _**_the voice said slowly, __**"He ignored you when you tried to tell him your honest feelings… The way you truly feel about him and Vivi… Isn't that just mean? He's supposed to be your best friend."**__ Arthur tried to speak, but nothing came out of his throat. He felt his body start to tremble, as his left arm went numb. __**"He doesn't listen to you when you're just trying to protect him either… He should learn the hard way to listen to his friends."**__ Arthur felt his feet move on their own, his left arm slowly raised in front of him. He could see the ugly green skin that started at his fingertips and continued up his arm until it disappeared under his rolled up sleeve. He stepped towards Lewis, making no sound.__** "If he would listen to you… No… If ANYONE listened to you, things would be better… Maybe you'd be with the one you truly loved…but not… They CHOOSE to ignore you…so now they'd got to be PUNISHED."**__ Arthur took another step forward, and he noticed his vision start to fade in his left eye. Arthur's heart raced as he tried to fight it. He tried to fight was his body was doing, tears starting to pour out of his right eye. He felt himself take a final step forward, and saw his handle touch the purple vest. He watched the figure fall forward. __**"He deserved this."**__ Arthur watched as the figure twisted in midair, facing him. _

_His eyes were so wide, full of fear, shock, and betrayal. He saw who it was that had pushed him. He saw Arthur, his arm extended out towards him, and Arthur saw him._

_Falling…_

_Falling…_

_Falling…_

_Fal-_

_Arthur was suddenly pulled away from the ledge as a bone crushing pain erupted in left arm. A loud growl came from beside him and he looked down to see a fox with several tales biting his arm. He saw blood come from it as the fox pulled hard, and off came his arm. Blood gushed from the wound, and pain immediately filled Arthur's mind. He fell flat on his back, blood pouring from his arm, as the fox tossed the green thing over the ledge and turned to him. The fox walked up to him, his blood dripping from its muzzle. Arthur felt his body tremble as the vision returned to his eye. The fox moved closer to him, then suddenly shifted back into…Mystery. Mystery was the large fox… Arthur felt his body get cold as the dog started barking._

_Arthur felt himself start getting cold. He deserved this… He deserved to die like this… He deserved…to disappear… His vision started to blacken, when he heard a high pitched voice scream at him._

_ "__Arthur!"_

He sat up in bed, sweat rolling down his face as he looked around the room, the foreign room.

"Where am I?" He asked as she started to get up, but he stopped short when he felt a sharp in his ankle when he placed it against the floor. In a flash, he remembered making it to the van with Vivi, and very vaguely remembered her helping him into this room. He sighed loudly and laid back down. He closed his eyes briefly, when the words of the ghost from earlier started pounding in his head. _You can't run from me._ Arthur frowned and rolled onto his side, facing the wall. _Does that mean he's following us…even now…?_ He turned over in his bed and looked around the room, half expecting the ghoul to show himself, but was pleased by the empty room. Arthur sat up slowly and looked over at the side table, finding a pill laid out with a bottle of water beside it. _This must be another painkiller… She's so thoughtful about these things…_ Arthur took the pill almost eagerly, smiling when he laid back down in bed._ It makes me happy to know that she cares so dearly for me… I just wish I could keep her from hating me…_ Arthur closed his eyes and fell back asleep almost immediately, his thoughts trailing towards happier memories for a while.

Then he had a dream that made absolutely no sense.

_There was an amusement park…abandoned in the woods… Inside the amusement park was a haunted house attraction, one that was supposed to be powered down, but all the lights were on… He looked at the door…_

_ "__Go inside Arthur," A voice beckoned him, "Go inside. Vivi is probably in there. You know how she loves these things. Go inside Arthur." He wearily reached out his hand and took the door handle._

_ "__I-I hate these things," He mumbled softly, his hand shaking, "I don't want to go inside…"_

_ "__Go inside Arthur," The voice continued, low and dark in his ear. "You can't keep her waiting anymore."_

**~.~**

**From the Author:**

**Thanks everyone for keeping up with me so far! I hope you're enjoying the fanfic. The last chapter was short, I know, but there will be plenty more coming. Have faith in me. I also love fan suggestions! Not saying any names (you know who you are), but your suggestions are awesome! Some I have considered before, and I want them to be thorough, and some I never even thought of. I love hearing your opinions on what you want to see! I'm so excited to keep writing for you guys! I can't wait to hear from you guys/gals!**


	6. Just Talking

Vivi woke up first the next morning, yawning softly as she stretched her arms up over her head. _No need to rush today! I can go it at my own place._ She took the time to stretch and twist until her joints were loose, then went to the bathroom. The warm water felt amazing, the hot steam bringing her blood pressure up. _I love hotels with good water pressure._ She got out and dried herself off, then put on an outfit identical to the one she'd worn the day before. _You can't go wrong with such a classic._ She smiled widely at herself in the mirror, then found her toothbrush.

She took her time that morning to make sure she was thoroughly groomed, even taking the time to blow dry her hair and brush out all the tangles. She smiled again at her reflection, running a checklist though her head. _Teeth? Brushed. Hair? Combed. Clothes? On. Glasses? Crooked. _Vivi readjusted her glassed so they balanced on her nose. _Now they're good. Seems I'm ready to go._ Vivi grabbed her room key and slowly walked over to Arthur's room. She knocked on the door, and pressed her ear against it to listen.

"Ten more minutes…" Moaned a very tired voice. Vivi rolled her eyes and knocked more, not saying a word to him. "It's only 11…most places have checkout pass noon!" Vivi smiled and knocked on the door again, being persistent. She heard a groan from inside the cabin and the bed creak as weight came off of it. "I'm coming… I'm coming…" The doorknob turned, and the door swung open. Vivi noted that his eyes were bloodshot, obviously just woken up from a deep sleep. "Morning Viv…" She giggled at the lazy way he said her name, and slipped into the room.

"Get dressed sleepy head," She said calmly, "Today is a rare day off, so there's no need to waste it on sleeping." Arthur looked at her tiredly, and sighed.

"What if I thought sleeping wasn't a waste?" Arthur tried. Vivi grabbed his arm and turned him around.

"Get in the shower and wake yourself up," Vivi commanded as she pushed him slowly into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

"I don't have a change of clothes," He mumbled as he opened the door. Vivi dug through his luggage and found him an outfit. A pair of black jeans and a long white sleeved shirt, but as her own special touch, she found a blue zip up jacket to go with it. She giggled loudly when she got him some socks and underwear. _This reminds me of when we were little kids._ She giggled loudly and slowly handed him the clothes through the door. "What are you laughing about?" He asked, a light flush filling his cheeks.

"I'll tell you when you get out," She chuckled gently, unable to stop herself. Arthur looked at her and sighed loudly.

"Can you bring me my tool box…?" He asked softly. Vivi's giggles stopped instantly.

"Oh yeah… That arm… I forgot," She blushed gently and walked to the van quickly, leaving the door cracked so she could get back in. The tool box was in the back of the van. Vivi opened the hood and pushed around the heavy backpack, looking for it. _Did it get shifted around when I drove last night?_ She searched the back thoroughly, looking around the cooler, and even digging through some suitcases. She unexpectedly found it in the front seat of the van. "I could have sworn he kept it in the back… Maybe he left it here when he was looking over the van last time… Yeah." She scooped up the tool box and made her way quickly back up to Arthur's room.

"What took you so long?" Arthur asked as she handed him the toolbox.

"I looked over it," She replied, a little bitter. _It's not like it was hidden from me, but it took so long to find it…_

"I've got it now," He said calmly, "It'll be out in thirty minutes or so." With that, he closed the door. Vivi bit her lip gently, then sat down on the couch. _That arm was so hard for him to build… I can't believe I forgot about it._ Vivi sat back and sighed loudly.

"What kind of friend am I to forget about that?" She asked the ceiling. Of course she didn't expect a reply. Mystery barked softly at her and jumped into her lap, nuzzling his face against her sweater. "Did you sleep well Mystery?" Her reply was a happy sounding bark and a few puppy kisses to her cheek. "I'm glad then." Vivi gently petted the pup's head, gently scratching behind his ears. He laid his head down and stretched himself out, showing her his belly. Vivi took the hint and scratched his belly, laughing softly when Mystery kicked at the air. Vivi turned her head towards the bathroom when she heard the water start running. _I've got time to kill…_ She found the remote and turned on the T.V., aimlessly flipping through channels for something interesting.

It felt like forever before Arthur came out of the bathroom. His hair was still wet, so it slumped down around his face, starting to curl at the tips. Vivi stifled a laugh. When his hair was wet, it looked completely brown. "You should leave it like that." She said gently, "Brown hair does suit you." Arthur rolled his eyes and went to his bag.

"No thanks," He said calmly as he fished out a bottle of hair gel. "I remember having curly brown hair in elementary. I remember getting picked on all the time about 'getting a girly perm' when I didn't do anything but brush it. That mess had to go." Arthur shifted back and went to the bathroom. He took the time to dry it with a towel, then carefully rubbed in some gel and combed it up into his signature spikes.

"Despite what you say, you won't dye your goatee or eyebrows," She commented playfully.

"That stuff can burn eyes and smells nasty," He replied in defense.

"Your roots are starting to show," Vivi added playfully. Arthur sighed and shook his head.

"Coming from the girl who dyed her hair blue?" He asked her, changing the subject.

"What? I love blue," Vivi stated.

"It's not a natural hair color," Arthur insisted, "At least people believe mine is real."

"Except for the orange streaks here and there." Vivi said while pointing at his sideburns.

"That was an accident," Arthur insisted. "Again though, your hair is blue Vivi. Blue." Vivi crossed her arms and pouted.

"It makes me distinguishable," She said defiantly, "Anyone can have blond hair, brown hair, or even red hair. Mine stands out in a crowd. It's a great conversation starter, and it matches my eyes. Do you have a problem with it?" Arthur looked at her and sighed loudly.

"No I don't," Arthur said slowly, defeat in his voice, "Just don't mock my hair, alright?" Vivi smiled and giggled loudly.

"Fine Arthur," She said through her fit of giggles. Arthur sat down beside her and looked at the T.V.

"Anything interesting?" He asked as she flipped through some more channels.

"No… It's just basic cable…" She sat up a little straighter when a black-and-white film title appeared on her screen. "Scratch that, we've got 'Dracula'!" Arthur smiled weakly at her.

"You and the horror movies…" He started to say, but he noticed his friend was already starting to zone out into the movie. He looked at the screen and rolled his eyes. "This reminds me of when we first met…" Vivi turned her eyes to him, her attention back.

"Oh yeah…" She said with a smile. "Your hair was curly then." Arthur groaned and gently rubbed his left arm. "We put in junior high, didn't we?"

"Yeah we did," He said happily, "Though, back then I was so antisocial… I'm kind of surprised you stuck around me."

"You're leaving out quite a few details," Vivi said teasingly. Arthur crossed his arms.

"How would you tell it then?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge. Vivi sat up straight, a twinkle in her eye.

"It was a dark and mysterious night," She began in the deepest voice she could muster.

"No it wasn't," Arthur insisted, "It was a sunny morning, maybe a little windy, but pretty nice weather."

"I'm telling the story here," Vivi said while pouting. "But fine, it was a sunny morning. Little Vivi came to school with a smile on her face. She was so happy because she was finally old enough to join a club. After spending hours researching clubs, she knew which one she wanted to join…the Film Club!" She threw her hands into the air and smiled happily. "With club activities consisting of watching films, writing reviews, and making short films, it was a dream come true for an all-time horror movie fanatic!"

"It wasn't specifically for horror movies," Arthur added, but Vivi was on a roll.

"She had her application paper ready to turn in," She continued. "She took the application to the teacher in charge.

'The club meets for activities every day from 3P.M. to 6P.M.,' the teacher said.'"

"You could at least tell his name," Arthur commented. Vivi pouted.

"Fine. The teacher's name was Mr. Burns, who ironically had a fear of fire." She looked to Arthur, waiting for another interruption, but he just smiled. "She waited eagerly all day to participate in her club activities, and when the time finally came, she marched to the club room as if she owned it. She went to the door and pulled it open. Can you guess what she found?" Arthur rolled his eyes.

"A boy with curly brown hair, looking as small as possible?" He asked.

"No," Vivi said, "A boy with curly brown hair who was working on a camera. Vivi walked up behind the boy carefully, trying not to spook him, but curious to see what he was doing. She noticed he was wearing rubbing gloves and goggles, while he messed with the camera. No matter how long she watched him though, she had no idea what he was doing."

"I was fixing the camera and giving it better memory storage," Arthur added.

"She didn't know that at the time though," Vivi said quickly, blushing a little. "Anyway, he was watching the guy work, when she accidentally bumped his shoulder. He practically leapt out of his chair, dropping his tools and taking the camera down with him as he crashed in the floor. The girl was horror struck."

"No you weren't. You laughed."

"That's how she showed her horror," Vivi insisted, "The boy was a little pale, but otherwise he was alright. He slowly started gathering up his equipment, to which the girl kneeled down and started helping him.

'I'm sorry I startled you,' she said calmly.

'You did not startle me,' he replied insistently.

'Then that was an acrobatics fail for the record books,' she returned. 'There's no reason for you to be so embarrassed. I did sneak up on you.' The boy's face flushed and he looked away from her.

'But being startled so easily… It's really silly right?' he asked. She smiled at him and shook her head.

'Everybody gets startled,' she said insistently, though the boy wouldn't stop blushing, 'I hope you could forgive me.' The boy seemed to look around frantically, as if he couldn't figure out what to say fast enough.

'I-It's not y-you're f-fault,' he replied."

"I did not stutter that much," Arthur interjected.

"Did so," Vivi responded, "You've always been bad about it. Where was I…? Oh yeah. She smiled at the boy, taking his stuttering for shyness, and held out her hand.

'My name is Vivian Liberto,' she said calmly. 'I go by Vivi though, or even V according to my close friends and family.' The boy slowly shifted everything he was carrying into one hand, and took hers.

'My name is Arthur Hunicutt,' he answered softly, shaking her hand. 'Are you named after that girl who married Cash? The first one anyway.' The girl smiled.

'Yes I am,' she said proudly, 'Are you named after that famous actor?'

'No, just a happy coincidence,' He replied. 'I'm a fan of his work though.' The both exchanged an awkward smile. He looked around the room, trying to find something else to say, before looking back at her. 'Are you here for the film club? I heard we were getting a new member, but I didn't think it'd be you.' She put her hands on her hips, a little attitude coming to her voice.

'What is THAT supposed to mean exactly?' she asked him daringly. She could practically see him trying to get his foot out of his mouth.

'Wh-What I meant is that th-this club has been a-all boys for a while n-now,' He stated quickly, 'So I assumed i-it would be a-another guy! I didn't m-mean it was bad you w-were here! I j-just thought w-wrong! Y-You're awesome! W-Well I think y-you're awesome, I-I don't kn-know yet, b-but you seem pretty cool.'"

Vivi started giggling, unable to keep her composure. "You had such a stuttering problem back then." Arthur's cheeks started to burn, and he looked away from her.

"You were a really popular girl in junior high," Arthur defended. "You dyed your hair blue the summer before, and everyone thought you were so daring! You could've joined any club you wanted, so it took me by surprise that you joined the smallest club there, one that involved leaving everyone else to sit in a quiet room watching movies. You really took me by surprise! Back then, I never would have pictured that you like horror movies and mysteries. I know better now." Arthur started rubbing his arm, a little nervous.

"I knew what I loved," Vivi said happily. "After that day, we met up and would always watch a movie or two in the afternoon. I thought you were so interesting, a shy genius." Arthur blushed a little more.

"I was not a genius…" He said slowly.

"Yes you were," Vivi argued, "You could fix anything. I even watched you build a computer just to see if you could do it. That was the fastest running computer until it met an untimely death." Vivi giggled, but her face slowly became serious. "Wait a second, how did it get destroyed again?" Arthur tensed. _That was one of the first few memories of Lewis… How do I go about this…? She might… She might remember if I say the wrong thing…but she's staring at me so intently…_

"I-I got picked on, remember?" Arthur spouted quickly, "One of the bullies around school shoved me into a pond while I had the hard drive in my backpack. It got completely soaked!" He rubbed his arm slowly. Vivi tilted her head up softly, trying to think about the event.

"I don't remember hearing about you getting pushed into the pond," She said slowly. _Lewis was the one who told her… No wonder she doesn't remember._ Arthur continued to rub his arm.

"Because I hid it from you," He said quickly. _It's not entirely a lie…_ "I didn't want you to think I was a wimp." Vivi sighed gently.

"That doesn't matter… You should've told me…" She shook her head slowly, looking away from him. "You've always been really smart Arthur. I'm sure if you put your mind to it, you could've made something to protect yourself. Maybe a mild stun gun or something." Vivi glanced over at him, her face softening. "You were smart enough to make your arm after all…" Instinctively, Arthur squeezes his left arm.

"That was…out of necessity…" He said slowly, but he could tell by Vivi's eyes that she didn't want to let the topic go so easily. "It's not a big deal Vivi… I was pretty good with both of my hands growing up, you know that." Vivi crossed her arms and sighed gently.

"I know that first month was the worst…" She said slowly, "You almost seemed dead…" _There's no way I'm avoiding this topic…but at least I don't have to think about how to exclude Lewis…_

"Yeah…The first month was really bad…" He said slowly as he looked away from her.

"It's been a while since then…" She said slowly, as if debating what to say next. "Will you tell me about it now…? After the metal arm came along, you just repeatedly told me that you were fine. I want to know Arthur…" _Maybe if he gets comfortable talking about this… Maybe he'll return to how he used to be… When he was more happy-go-lucky…or at least tell me what's eating at him… I can see it Arthur… Please tell me…_ Arthur looked into her eyes and sighed loudly.

"Let me tell you…tell you a story…" He said slowly. "There was this guy…a scaredy cat with no real physical strength… One day…he lost his cave in an accident… He was saved because his best friend… His best friend called for an ambulance…and used her scarf to tourniquet his arm and stop the bleeding… When he woke up… He felt like something was wrong…and when he looked at his arm… It was gone…"

"Arthur…"

"Let me talk V," He said softly. "It's not the same as breaking your arm…or getting surgery to get a hip replacement… It's just gone. The limb was completely gone V… He went home after staying in the hospital for a few days. There wasn't much they could do besides patch up the wound and prescribe him some pain medicine. He had to be driven home, since he couldn't drive straight without the support of the extra arm. So many everyday tasks… They suddenly became difficult for them. He had problems with everything. When he got up that first morning… He screamed at the top of his lungs, momentarily forgetting why his arm was gone, before the memories came back… He tried to get dressed that morning. He had been wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt for sleeping, that a nurse had helped him get on to begin with. He tried to grab the front of his shirt and pull it over his head, but he had a hard time getting it to come up right. After wrestling with it for a few minutes, he tried pulling it up from the back. He finally got the collar to come up over his head. He tossed the shirt to his side, then went to get his pants off. They came off rather easily, having an elastic waist band."

"Gotta love lazy pants," Vivi added.

"Well, then he had to put on jeans…" He looked over and shook his head. "You never realize how hard it is to button up jeans. He tried and tried, and finally managed it after laying back on his bed. Putting on a shirt was much easier than taking it off."

"A lot of trouble just to put on some clothing…" Vivi said softly.

"That was just the beginning…" Arthur said calmly. "I couldn't butter toast like I used to, or flip pancakes in a skillet. I couldn't cut vegetables on a cutting board anymore, or hardly work with my tools. I had problems writing as well. It's not that I couldn't write, but I was so used to using my left hand to hold it still. I couldn't strip wires like I used to. I couldn't light matches, open bottles, type on a computer, shuffle a card deck, or tie my shoes. I felt so useless…"

"You must've felt awful…" Vivi said slowly.

"Yeah… I switched between depression, anger, and frustration at random," Arthur sighed. "I remember getting phone calls from people I didn't even know… They'd say things like, 'We're praying for you' so many times, and it made my heart break. If praying could've made my arm grow back, it'd be one thing, but that's humanly impossible."

"Didn't they try to get you a prosthetic?" Vivi asked gently, "I know your mom went through the trouble of buying you one, but I never saw you wear it." Arthur bit his lip, seemingly frustrated by that question.

"I told her over and over again that I didn't want a prosthetic," Arthur said bitterly. "She made me try it out anyway. She insisted that I'd feel better when I had it." Arthur squeezed his left arm and looked away. "She was wrong… She was very wrong… Once they placed it on me, I felt even worse than before. That piece of plastic on me…unmoving and cold… It infuriated me so much… I ended up throwing it at the doctor who had placed it on me. It wasn't the same. It was just as useless as the stump, so I was outraged by how they were trying to sell it to me." Vivi noticed that Arthur was starting to tremble.

"Arthur calm down," She said gently.

"I WAS PISSED OKAY?!" He shouted. Vivi's eyes widened, and the color drained from Arthur's face. "I'm sorry… It's not a good memory… I shouldn't have snapped at you… I'm sorry…" Arthur looked away from her and placed his hands over his face, hiding from Vivi. _I didn't want anyone fussing over me either… I'd only lost the arm…but Lewis…Lewis was gone…and my parents acted like he never existed…so did Vivi and her parents… Why was I the only one who remembered him? The only one who mourned him? WHY?! _Arthur felt a gentle hand pat his back, and he returned his gaze to Vivi.

"It's alright Arthur," She spoke sweetly, "I'm the one who pushed you to talk anyway. Don't feel so down." He felt his eyes start to sting. _She's just as sweet as ever… Would she ever forgive me if she found out about Lewis? She probably wouldn't… Yelling at her is one thing…killing someone…that's a whole different story. _"You got pass it, remember? You haven't told me yet about your mechanical arm." Arthur looked at his left arm, a small smile crossing his lips.

"The idea came shortly after that incident with the prosthetic. My mom was angry at me for throwing such a fit at the doctor's, probably because she had prepaid for the thing. I shouted at her, telling her how I didn't want such a cruddy thing, and she screamed back 'If you don't like it, then make a better one!'" Arthur smiled and looked to Vivi. "It didn't sink in when she said it though. It was a few hours later, when I got a call from you."

"I think I remember that phone call," She said with a smile, "I told you have I wanted to go back to solving mysteries, but that I couldn't do it wouldn't you. You're my best friend after all, and it just wouldn't be the same."

"That's the one," Arthur responded, "You said something that inspired me… You said… You said…"

"'With you being such a genius, I'm surprised you haven't built a new arm yet.'" She finished the sentence. "I remember the phone going silent for a few minutes, then I heard you fumbling around for something."

"That's right," Arthur continued, "I searched for a notebook and started to sketch out a design. I felt so dumb for not thinking of it. The nerves in your body control movement through electrical impulses. Why then, couldn't I simulate such a thing with an electronic arm?" Vivi smiled, seeing Arthur's eyes sparkle. _I remember that look… He always gets that way when he's talking about electronics. He has such a passion for these things… _"It was right in front of me all along! The first thing I needed was full measurements of my right arm."

"I remember helping with that," Vivi added, "But I couldn't understand a word of what you said when I asked for an explanation. You get that way when you're excited about mechanics is..."

"It was just trying to think out loud," Arthur said quickly, "Sometimes, I speak as I think. It's not always good, especially when my best friend can't the difference between a nail and a screw."

"I take offence to that," Vivi interjected.

"I know you do," Arthur added, "Anyway, after I measured it, I had to make a steel skeleton. The metal was expensive, but I wanted it to be strong. Once the frame was built, it was a weeks of nothing but trial and error, trying to make the skeleton react the way it was supposed to. So many little electric fires…" He shivered gently at the memory. "Once I finally got it working right, I had to do the hard part… I had to expose the nerves in my arm and find a way to attach them… That was the worse experience of my life." Vivi cringed, imaging the pain.

"Didn't you use some numbing medicine or something?" She asked.

"I couldn't risk my senses being impaired," Arthur stated honestly. "Anyway, I devised a housing system that makes it a lot easier to attach the main metal to skin. It exposes the nerves and specifically separates them for connection. That makes it easier to put on and take off, but it doesn't take away the pain. I've learned to keep some Lidocaine handy."

"You've lost me again," Vivi mumbled gently.

"It's a numbing medicine," He informed her. "I had to beg a doctor to prescribe it to me, since it's dangerous in higher doses. Anyway, once I got the housing and the skeleton to work, I had to build a protective covering to go over it. It was difficult making it the right length around and lightweight enough so it wouldn't strain my arm, but eventually, my metal arm was complete." Arthur leaned back and smiled from ear to ear. "The best feeling in the world was when I used it for the first time, when I made it flex in perfect sync with my right hand… It was the first time I felt whole in a long time…" Vivi looked over at her friend and smiled softly. She looked back to the T.V., and to her surprise, she found that her movie had ended.

"Aww…" She whined softly, "Count Dracula is dead…" Arthur smiled softly and laughed gently.

"Don't worry V," He said calmly, "If you remember, I have that movie in the van. We can watch it any time." Vivi looked to him and smiled happily. He reached out and gently put an arm around her. "Thanks… This…This was nice…" Vivi looked up to him and smiled from ear to ear.

"What are friends for?"


	7. Spooked

_How had this happened?_ Arthur woke up, laying across a couch, still fully clothed. Mystery was laying on the floor in front of him, belly up with a cheese stained mouth. He looked up and saw Vivi laying down in his bed, her glasses still on. The room looked destroyed, an assortment of chip bags and soda cans littering the floor, and there were a few stains he was sure would never come out. Arthur sat up drowsily, and searched the room for a possible explanation, when he spotted a stack of horror movies by the T.V. _That's right… We had a movie night…and we broke out some snacks… We had a food fight at some point… This room is a disaster…_ Arthur slowly climbed to his feet, noting that the pain in his ankle was almost gone, and examined his watch.

10:47 A.M.

Something about that time struck Arthur. _What am I forgetting about…?_ It was only when the phone rang that the realization attacked. _We're supposed to get out of here by 11, and the room was completely trashed._ He rushed to the phone, barely catching it before the caller hung up.

"Hello?" Arthur started.

"Hello…" a voice answered. Arthur had to resist a groan, as the voice was completely flat, as if devoid of life, "Might I remind you that checkout is in 10 minutes. Do you need help?" Arthur looked around the room, his eyes widening. _If they saw this… We'd get in so much trouble!_

"No we don't!" Arthur said quickly. "We're almost ready. Be down in a minute!" He practically slammed the phone shut, and rushed to where Vivi was sleeping. "Wake up! Wake up! We're about to be in some serious trouble!" Vivi moaned softly. Arthur sighed and took the glove off of his metallic glove, and gently pressed it against the back of her neck.

"COLD!" Vivi shouted as she shot out of bed. She was still fully clothed as well. "What was that for Arthur?" She asked, anger in her voice.

"No time V," Arthur replied as he quickly gathered his luggage together. "Get your things in the van. We've got only 7 minutes before we're supposed to check out of here!" Vivi rubbed her eyes, not registering what he said, but after looking around the room, she got the message.

"Oh God!" She shouted as she rushed out of the room. Arthur gathered everything together, and gently nudged Mystery with his foot.

"Wake up Boy!" He half shouted. The dog gave a tired groan and simply rolled over. "I don't have TIME for this Mystery!" He shouted, making the little dog jump. "We've got to get going!" Arthur double checked the room, making sure not to leave anything behind, before rushing out the door to the van. He opened the back and practically threw everything in. He then had to jump out of the way as Vivi literally threw her bags in. "I hope my DVDs make it…" Arthur mumbled, before Vivi slammed the trunk and pulled him back his arm to the lobby.

"Let's just turn in the keys before room service gets to our room," Vivi said in a low, calm voice. She led him to the front desk. Arthur bit his lip to keep himself from reaction to the dead looking man. "Here are our keys." Vivi said as she handed them to him.

"Thanks for the stay," Arthur said quickly, "But we'll have to get going now." Arthur started to leave, when the man spoke up.

"What's the rush? The day's still young," He asked in a slow, dull voice. Vivi turned to him, clenching her hands as her mind raced for an excuse.

"You see… We've got to…" She began, trying to keep her eyes on the man so he wouldn't see her trying to lie. Arthur say a newspaper stand and grabbed one. He looked through it quickly and turned the pages, until a head line caught his eye. He quickly slipped the newspaper into her hand, his thumb on the article to call her attention. "We've got to hurry and get to this lake before sundown!" Vivi said sharply, as she laid the newspaper in front of him. The man raised an eyebrow, a little confused. Vivi laughed gently, adjusting her glasses as she leaned against the desk. "Yes. You may not have heard of us, but we're the Mystery Skulls. We are the paranormal investigators that go around, searching for real phenomena to document and end, or exposing fakes. This case is next on our line up. Apparently, there is a ghost haunting what used to be a resort, and the business could shut down if the problem isn't solved. So we're going out there to 'offer' our services." Vivi grinned from ear to ear, while the man continued to look bored.

"I didn't ask for your life story…" the man said slowly, sighing softly. "Good luck on your case. Have a nice day." Arthur turned and took Vivi's arm.

"Let's get on the road already," Arthur said gently. The two of them went out to the van, Arthur still having to elevate his foot on the dash while Vivi drove the van. They pulled out of the parking lot slowly. Vivi nudged his shoulder and pointed to the lobby, where a round woman in a maid uniform was just entering the lobby.

"By the skin of our teeth…" Vivi muttered before pulling out of the driveway. Mystery barked loudly to draw attention to himself, before pawing at the newspaper in Arthur's hands.

"It's another case buddy," Arthur said sadly, before looking at the article. "'Mysterious Specter Spooks Vacationers: Recently, reports have sighted a ghost at Crystal Lake, a resort and popular camp site located in Northeast Louisiana, has recently had multiple sightings of what witnesses believe is a ghost. Campers report that a glowing white figure has been seen in the middle of the late around midnight, as well as multiple unexplained instances. The temperature around the lake seems to drop dramatically at midnight, and lasts for an hour before returning to normal. Loud slamming and banging from abandoned buildings and odd messages showing up in a red substance that resembles blood. This chain of events has decreased tourism for the town close to the lake, as well as caused the business to all but stop." Arthur looked at Vivi and added an extra sentence. "If someone doesn't come and solve this mystery, everyone involved is going to be in trouble, so this looks like a job for: The Mystery Skulls!" Arthur had a hard time trying to announced the name with a straight face, but it did earn a pity laugh from Vivi.

"Alright Alright," She said between laughs, "Just get the map and start giving me directions. This is going to be a long car ride.

How long does it take to get from Collins, Arkansas to Lake Charles, Louisiana? If you didn't have to stop for gas, it would take about 5 hours and 30 minutes. What happens when you add stopping for gas, stopping for food, and stopping for the bathroom? You add an extra hour to that car ride. Also, add an additional 10 minutes to drive pass Lake Charles to look for a smaller lake in the middle of an open forest. It was 5: 45 in the afternoon by the time the van pulled up to the camp site. Vivi was very stiff, her eyes drooping a little, while Arthur and Mystery were snoozing beside her. She looked over at them when she parked the car, sighing softly. _I never realized how draining it was to just drive this thing… Arthur never complained about it though… Maybe I underestimated him…_

Vivi sighed gently and leaned over towards Arthur. _He's got to get up now…_ "Wake up Art…" She said while gently shaking him. Arthur continued to sleep. "Arthur… Come on now… Wake up…" She shook him a little harder, getting no response. She was starting to get aggravated. "Arthur…" She grit her teeth, feeling impatient after such a long car ride. She noticed that when he slept, he breathed from his nose. It was mean, but Vivi leaned over and pinched his nose with her hand. After a few moments of silence, Arthur's eyes flew up as he gasped for air.

"What th-?!" He shouted between breaths.

"We're here," Vivi said calmly as she opened the door and got out. "I'm going to rent a cabin for the night. Hurry up or I'll leave you behind." She laughed softly and walked up to the main building. Arthur looked out at her, then turned his head to Mystery.

"What'd I do?" He asked, the dog responding by whining softly. Arthur climbed out of the vehicle, holding the door open for the little dog. Mystery sniffed the ground around the van, then suddenly started barking and growling. Arthur looked around, wondering what it was the little dog smelt. "What's wrong buddy?" Arthur started to come closer to the dog, when his attention was drawn away.

"Hurry up Arthur!" Vivi shouted, "It's going to get dark soon!" Arthur turned to where Vivi was standing, seeing her waving wildly at him from in front of the main lodge.

"Coming V!" Arthur shouted back, before looking to Mystery. "Come on now. We don't want to be left behind." Arthur heard Mystery whine and look back to the van, but another call from Vivi made him start walking towards her. "I said I was coming! I'm still a little stiff you know!" Arthur joined Vivi, while Mystery eyed the van. He lowered his ears and growled at it, backing away slowly. When he was a good distance from the van, he turned around and ran quickly to catch up with his humans.

Vivi entered the lodge first, sporting her award winning smile as she walked up to the front desk.

"Hello there," She said to a thin looking woman at the counter, "We're the Mystery Skulls, and we're here t- Oof!" Vivi was interrupted when the woman suddenly leaned over the counter and grabbed her collar, all the color draining from her face.

"H-Have you c-c-come to h-help us?!" She asked, her voice shaking as she spoke.

"Yes," Vivi answered, "We travel the country to solve mysteries and put an end to them, but our services don't com-"

"We'll pay whatever you ask us to!" The woman almost shouted, tugging on Vivi's sweater. Arthur tensed, unable to hide his disdain. _That woman looks absolutely spooked. She looks ready to faint…but if she keeps this up, she might hurt Vivi…_

"Release me and we'll get right on it," Vivi said in a casual voice. The woman seemed to just realize what she was doing, and let go of Vivi's sweater immediately. Vivi took a moment to readjust her clothing, before carefully leaning against the desk. "Alright then, we'll need a cabin for tonight then, and a couple of maps of this resort." The woman nodded and complied immediately. She handed Vivi the maps and a couple of keys for Cabin B. Arthur looked down at the map.

"It seems Cabin B is the closest one to the lake," He mumbled softly. Vivi nodded and examined it as well.

"Let's see…" She began slowly, "There are lots of cabins around here… There are two large swimming areas, but they're on opposite sides of the lake. There's also an unnamed island in the middle of the lake. There are five bathrooms spread out among the cabins, and a single boat rental building on the other side of the lake… I kind of wish we had a boat, so we wouldn't have to walk around and go through the trouble… There are no defined paths either…"

"It seems like this 'resort' was designed for the visitors to have a lot of freedom," Arthur commented, "I wonder if there are buoys that mark off the swimming area from the deeper water… I bet a lot of visitors jump off of the docks…"

"I wonder if anyone every drowned here…?" Vivi asked, looking to Arthur with worry in her eyes.

"That would explain the existence of a ghost…" Arthur said calmly, "But that doesn't give us hints of motive… In the cases we've encountered in the past, ghosts are tied to places because they feel like they've left something unfinished… We should ask the staff and other visitors in the morning." Vivi looked at her map and let the way to the cabin.

It was fairly standard, two small bedrooms with windows and a dresser in each room, one bathroom, and a conjoined living room and kitchen area. There was a sofa, a small T.V., and a bookshelf in the living room portion. The kitchen portion had a small, square dining table with four chairs, a fridge, a stove, a counter with a microwaves, and a few hanging cabinets. The color scheme was not to Arthur's taste. Everything was either grey, white, or black. Vivi didn't like the carpets especially, since they were white.

"We'll be eating at the table only," Vivi answered upon entering. She looked to Arthur, who smiled nervously, before walking through the house and claiming a bedroom. Arthur took the time to pour some food and water into bowls for Mystery, then knocked on Vivi's door.

"What are you doing in there?" Arthur asked.

"I'm going to sleep," Vivi announced. Arthur looked at his watch.

"It's only 6:15," Arthur commented.

"That's why I'm going to sleep," Vivi stated plainly, "According to the reports, all the activity happens around midnight. We might as well rest up while we can." Arthur sighed, but realized she had a point. As if she could see through the door, Vivi spoke again. "I'll wake you up around 11." Arthur hung his head in defeat and walked to his room.

"Fine V," He said softly, before letting himself crash into the bed. A little sleep would do him some good.

**~.~**

**Note from Author:**

**Hey everyone! Thanks for keeping up! I realized that the last adventure the Mystery Skulls were involved with was short and kind of lazy. This next case is going to be a little more complicated. I hope you like it!**


	8. Scared

**~.~**

**Note from Author:**

**Hey Everyone! I know I usually put these messages at the end of my chapters (assuming I write them at all), this time I wanted to give you a little extra for reading. I know listening to someone's description of a map can either be unclear or frustrating (I've always dislike it) so I took the time to mess with paint and created a map. When I wrote this, I had a total of 4 followers, 3 reviews, and 2 favorites. I'm so incredibly happy! The view number is 174 right now, though that'll more than likely change before I post this. Thanks everyone for keeping up so far! I'll work hard to make this case worth reading!**

**~.~**

Vivi was always on time, not matter what it was for. Arthur looked at his watch drowsily when knocking erupted on his door. 11:00P.M. _Does she stand there and count down the last few seconds before the clock changes? Or is that an accident?_ Arthur crawled out of bed gently and walked towards the door. He reached out his hand to grab the doorknob, when he tripped over something hard and made out of metal. He fell forward and smacked his chin against the door, before sliding down to his knees.

"Are you alright?" Vivi asked in a half panicked voice. Before Arthur could answer, she turned the doorknob and swung the door open sharply, smacking Arthur in the face for the second time. Arthur fell backwards, his legs coming out from under him and momentarily flying into the air, before gravity pulled them back down. Arthur's head fell back on the carpet, bouncing once, and his arms landed out to the sides. "Oops…" Viv mumbled gently as she leaned over enough to turn on the light switch. "Sorry Art…" She turned and ran back into the living room for a minute, leaving Arthur to stare up at the ceiling in a daze. His hand slowly came up to his mouth and nose.

"What'd I trip on…?" He asked slowly, directing it at air. He slowly sat up and looked around the room, spotting his tool box, now tipped over, on the floor. "I don't remember carrying that in… I don't think we carried anything but our backpacks…" Lewis grabbed the orange tool box and pulled it to him, and slowly undid the latch. He was surprised to find the tools missing inside, with a single piece of paper laying in the bottom. He started to grab it, when he heard Vivi coming back. Arthur shut the tool box and shoved it under the bed, looking back just in time to see Vivi come in.

"You're bleeding Arthur…" She mumbled softly as she pressed a cloth to his mouth. Arthur winched and took it from her.

"I think I split my lip…" He grumbled loudly, instantly feeling pain in his lip from talking. "My nose isn't bleeding at least…" Arthur held the cloth to his mouth as Vivi bent her knees to bring herself down to look into his eyes.

"What happened Arthur?" She asked, tilting her head gently. He resisted his instinct to look towards the hidden tool box, instead focusing on his feet.

"I tripped over these bulky things in the dark," He answered softly, trying to fake a smile despite the cloth in the way. He wiggled his feet to prove his point. Vivi looked into his eyes. _He's lying to me… I saw his eyebrow twitch when he spoke… What I don't get is why he would lie about something so insignificant… What is he hiding from me? _Arthur started to sweat as Vivi stayed silent, even flinching when she reached out her hand.

"You're such a clutz," She remarked as she helped him to his feet. "We haven't got time for you to hurt yourself. It's time to get to investigating. We have to start looking for clues before the ghost appears around midnight." Arthur held the cloth to his mouth as he began to speak.

"Vivi… Not to be a buzz kill…but do we have to go exploring this place when its pitch black outside?" He asked gently, his voice shaking a little. "Knowing you, you'll want to split up again. What if you fall into the water? It may be bearable during the day, but it gets pretty cold at night. You could get hypothermia." She rolled her eyes before responding.

"Arthur, I'm more worried about you falling into the water and getting sick. When I get sick, I get a head ache for a few hours, take some medicine, and sleep it off. You on the other hand, when you get sick, we practically have to take you to the hospital. You sweat buckets, your fever goes up and down at random, you throw up, you can't keep anything down, and medicine doesn't work on you very well. You practically try to die, and it scares me when you sleep because you always have nightmares."

"It's not like I enjoy it," Arthur whined softly, feeling a little hurt.

"It's not all bad though…" Vivi trailed the sentence softly, unsure whether to complete it or not. _You tell secrets when you have a fever… I wonder if he'd let me take care of him if he knew that? _Arthur looked at her hopefully, waiting for her to finish. "You're always so sweet when you're sick. You once called me an angel." Arthur blushed softly and looked away, as shy as ever.

"I'll be careful…" He said softly, "But promise me you won't go near the water by yourself… Have either me or Mystery around… I'm still a little traumatized from the time you fell into the pond and sank to the bottom."

"I only meant that as I prank," She said defensively, a guilty smile on her face. "I didn't expect you to freak out so badly. I can hold my breath for a long time Arthur. You're practically asthmatic, yet you dove right into the water to try and save me." Vivi giggled softly and stood back up. "Come on then. Grab your gear and turn the lights off on your way out. I'm going ahead. Let's meet back at the cabin at 1, since that's when the haunting hour is supposedly over." She smiled happily and ducked out the door, not giving Arthur a chance to argue with her.

Arthur sighed loudly. _I want to go back to bed…_ He sighed again when Mystery crawled into his lap, staying behind with him for a change.

"She's so brave…" He mumbled softly, talking to the dog. "I wish I had half as much bravery as she did… I don't get how she can walk around creepy places like this without so much as hesitating…" Mystery whined at him softly, pawing at his shirt gently. Arthur gently pushed the dog off of him, his mind returning to the empty tool box. He pulled it out from under his bed and opened in, seeing the note once again. It was a single piece of paper, folded in half, with a purple ribbon tied around it. Arthur's heart raced. _Who got into the van and messed with my tools? How'd they get into the van? I'm sure I locked it behind me… How'd they know where I was? Or which room was mine? This is really creepy…_ Mustering the courage, he untied the ribbon and opened the note.

Dear Traitor,

I hope you didn't forget about me. If you did, you're dumber than I thought. I promised to follow you to your GRAVE after all. I have a proposition though, one I'm sure you won't refuse. Vivi doesn't deserve to be alone in this world, especially since she only knows you as her FRIEND. Poor deceived girl. Anyhow, I've decided I won't kill you…if you CONFESS to Vivi what you did to me. There are your choices. Tell the truth, or DIE. I'll be watching you very closely. If you don't confess before this case is over, then I will come and make you confess, BEFORE KILLING YOU! I look forward to watching you squirm.

Arthur felt all the color drain from his face. He recognized the penmanship. He didn't need a signature at the end to tell him who this was from, and that realization sent chills all the way down to his core. _He wants me to confess…to Vivi…to save my own skin…?_ Arthur's hands trembled more. _ But if I don't tell her… He'll only make me tell her and then he will kill me anyway… How am I supposed to choose this? Tell her and live with the guilt of ruining her life? Or wait and die, leaving her alone? What on Earth do I do?_ Arthur's bottom lip trembled as he folded up the note and hid it in an inside pocket. Mystery whined gently and pawed at his leg, but he was unable to get his attention. Arthur stared down at his hands and hung his head a little. Without saying a word, he got to his feet and walked out the door, only carrying a flashlight out with him.

Arthur decided to explore close to the lake. He looked at the map and decided to keep a good distance away from the water. _This thing isn't exactly waterproof… Well…I designed it to be water tight, but I'm not ready to test it out… Even if it does keep out water, the metal might drag me down…_ Arthur backed a little farther away from the water, his thoughts making him uneasy. He glanced at the map again and slowly walked around the lake, heading towards the first marked off swimming area. _I need to see if they marked off the deep end or something… If they didn't, then the possibility of a drowning goes up._ He walked slowly to the swimming area, and looked out across the lake.

With no large lights around the lake, the stars shone brightly over the lake. The stars made the water reflective, seeming to shimmer in the night. Arthur didn't need his flashlight to see the buoys far off in the water, connected together by a long safety net. Arthur looked across the water, seeing the island faintly in the distance. _There is a long distance between the island and the shore… and a lot of deep water in between… What if someone went to the island and tried to swim back to shore? That safety net in the way could've actually helped them drown, blocking their path to shallow water…assuming they had enough strength to make it in the first place…_ Arthur shivered at the thought. _Why would anyone try to swim back anyway? I wouldn't…unless I had no other options…_ Arthur shivered more, looking to his watch. 11:42.

Arthur looked around, hoping to find Vivi, but found no one. He decided to get a little closer to the water. He kicked up sand with every step, but kept his distance from where the sand met the water. The night was cool, a light wind running over his shoulders and through his hair. He stopped when he was midway down the beach, and looked out across the water again. _Even though you can't swim at this time of year…this view is worth the cost of a cabin… This place must have been popular before the ghost sightings… I wish the article had been more specific… It didn't say where the ghost appeared, but when. _Arthur nervously rubbed his arm and looked around, suddenly becoming paranoid. _The last thing I want tonight is for another vengeful spirit to appear._ He glanced back down at his watch. 11:59. He looked around him again, seeing that he was all alone on the beach. He looked down at his watch and counted down the last few seconds.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

It was now midnight. Arthur looked behind him, expecting a ghost to appear just like that. It had happened to him so many times before, he just expected it. He looked to his left, then to his right, and then turned completely around. A smile crossed his lips, and Arthur laughed softly. "I feel so dumb… I was actually standing out here, expecting a ghost to appear and scare me senseless, and now that it's midnight, there's nothing!" He continued to laugh, mimicking a lunatic, before sitting down on the sand and staring up towards the stars. "After reading that… Should I really be afraid of a mere lake ghost? At least this one doesn't have anything against me… This one might not even be real. It could be another man or woman wearing makeup, like with a lot of our cases…" Arthur looked up and smiled softly at the stars. "Just this once… I should try to be brave…and more useful…like Vivi…"

He felt Mystery paw at his back, the dog whimpering softly. Arthur reached his hand over his shoulder and patted his head gently. "What's wrong Mystery?" He looked at the water again. "The water won't hurt you." Mystery whined again and growled softly. Arthur patted his head. "Hush… I'll take you swimming when it's warmer and get you used to it." Mystery growled and bit Arthur's hand, making him jump to his feet and turn to the little dog. "What has gotten into you?" He looked down at Mystery, who was now facing away from him, his ears and tailed lowered as he growled loudly. Arthur looked at what he was looking at, and saw a figure coming towards him.

It looked like a girl, with long hair that hid her eyes, wearing a dress that came before her ankles. Her skin was sheet white, her hair and dress almost as white as her skin, and she seemed to have a thin glow coming from her. Arthur felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as she extended her hand towards him.

"Leave…" The voice said in a low, detached voice. Arthur took a step back and stared at her, wide eyed. He grit his teeth and stood his ground, trying to be brave. When he spoke however, his voice came out shaking.

"I-I didn't do any-"

"GET OUT!" The girl screamed loudly, her head coming up to look at Arthur. Her pupils were white, while her irises were black, the rest of her eye glowing a disgusting red. Blood seemed to be flowing down her face. Her face seemed horribly distorted, widening as she screamed. Arthur didn't give her a response this time. He turned on his heel and took off running down the beach. _Being brave…doesn't seem like an option right now!_


	9. Little Mistake

Arthur glanced down at his map, briefly checking where he was running before taking off as fast as he could. _It ALWAYS has to be ME that finds the ghost! Why ME?! I can't stand this! If it wasn't for Vivi, I'd retire!_ He glanced over his shoulder to see the ghost was still right behind him, her face twisted in a horrific expression. It made chills run down his spine. He looked straight ahead and ran even faster, a dull soreness coming from his ankle after a few minutes. _I guess it wasn't fully healed after all._ Mystery barked loudly, trying to sound menacing, but then let out a little yelp. Arthur looked behind him to see that the ghost had grabbed Mystery in her arms. Arthur turned on his heel, not even thinking, and charged at the ghost. He felt his shoulder collide with the ghost's chest, knocking her back, giving Arthur a chance to take Mystery and flee. He kept running and noticed a bathroom on his left. _There's a faculty building to the right! I've got to lose her and get in there!_

He ran off the path, diving in between a few trees, and dodged trees from his left and right. He kept the main path in his peripheral vision, but tried to lengthen his distance from it as much as possible. Mystery seemed to squirm in his arms, growling unhappily at being carried, but Arthur didn't care. He continued to run until he saw a building up ahead. _I've made it! There's got to be someone inside!_ Arthur ran up in front of the building and reached to the doorknob, when a small plaque caught his eye. _I should've know… This building was way too small to be a faculty building…_ The plaque had a single letter etched into it, the letter 'H'.

Arthur was confused, but found no time to think about it. Someone was coming from behind him. He grabbed the doorknob without thinking and pulled the door open, closing it behind him quickly, but quietly. He locked the door softly and dove behind the couch, angling himself to look out the window without being seen. He held his breath as he watched a shadow looked in, seemingly searching for him. He held perfectly still, not removing his eyes from the figure as its face looked from left to right. _I hope it leaves soon._

A minute passed…

Then 2…

Then 5…

10…

20…

He felt ready to faint, every fiber of his being aching from holding still for so long. Mystery was silently biting his arm, as if trying to keep himself quiet. Arthur watched the figure intently, the only sound he could hear was that of his own heartbeat. The figure stared a few seconds longer, before backing away from the window and disappearing. "I made it…" Arthur mumbled as he let himself lay down on the floor. He smiled gently and rested his eyes, when he suddenly heard the doorknob turn.

"Huh? I thought we left it unlocked?" Came an unfamiliar man's voice. _This is bad. The guy renting this place is back!_ Arthur rushed quickly to a back window and tried to open it, finding with dismay that it only opened partway. It wasn't large enough for Arthur to squeeze through. _Mystery is just small enough though._ He placed the dog at the window and forced him out through the opening.

"You got the key, don't you?" Came another voice from the same direction. This one was a soft female's voice. _A couple? That means if they think I'm here to mess with her things…_ Arthur felt himself turn pale as he leaned out and whispered to Mystery.

"Go back to the cabin," He mumbled gently, "I'll find a way to escape, just go. We can't both be trapped." The dog patted his feet on the ground for a moment, as if he wanted to whine, then took off running into the woods. _Be safe Mystery._

"Of course I've got the key," the first replied. "Just give me a second to find the right pocket." Arthur almost jumped out of his skin, then looked around frantically for a place to hide. He opened the drawers under the sink and saw they were filled with cleaning supplies. _That won't work._ He then looked over into one of the room's and saw an opened closet door. Arthur rushed into the closet and cracked the door so he could peek out when needed. He felt an assortment of coats and shirts around him, and slowly pushed himself back into a corner. He pulled off his orange coat, knowing it would be easy to spot and pressed it behind his back, then he grabbed one of the heavier coats and wrapped it around him, hiding inside it like a tent. _I don't know if this will work, but it's the best disguise I've got right now._

"Hurry up and find the key!" The second face said unhappily, a little attitude in her voice.

"I'm on it!" the first replied, aggravation in his voice. Arthur heard the sound of jingling keys, then a loud click followed by the long creaking noise of the door coming open. "See Julie? I had them." Arthur heard heavy footsteps as a large man passed in front of the crack. He decided to lean forward a little to peer out the crack a little better, and saw the man more clearly. He looked older than Arthur, at least in his thirties. He had a black crew cut and a noticeable under bite, his chin pointing away from his face. He had beady little blue eyes, and an oversized nose. He wasn't overweight, but seemed to have a few pounds to spare, mostly at his midsection. He had beefy arms, ones that were obviously a result of lifting weights, and a hardened attitude to match. Despite the lake setting, he was wearing a light blue button up shirt with a black tie, black slacks, and shiny black boots on his feet. _He looks like someone you don't want to mess with…_ Arthur flinched a little when another figure walked by the closet.

"You don't have to be so cranky," came the woman's voice, Julie, as she crossed her arms. "When you said we were coming out here, I thought we'd have fun! But you've been sour this whole time! You're ticking me off Steve!" Julie looked around the same age as Steve, maybe a few years younger. She was a blond haired woman with shining blue eyes. Her teeth seemed perfectly straight and white, with ruby colored lips. She was a short woman, a little shorter than Vivi, and she had a scrawny figure. _She looks sick… Does she have a high metabolism? Or is she someone on a crazy diet? Either way, I think she should go to a doctor._ The woman was wearing a gaudy pink floral dress, with three inch black high heels that made her taller. _She's trying too hard to stand out…_

"This isn't a vacation!" Steve almost shouted at her. "We're here on business. After we take care of business here, we'll go on a REAL vacation. Who can relax around here with that stupid ghost coming out in the middle of the night?!" Arthur watched as the woman placed her hands on her hips.

"Since we're here, why don't we just enjoy it?!" She suggested, though it sounded like a challenge.

"We have to be careful here Julie!" Steve replied angrily, his voice getting louder, "One mistake and EVERYTHING we've work SO HARD for is RUINED! RUINED! I bet you'd like that you littl-"

"Don't you DARE take that TONE with ME!" Julie shouted back at him, before turning and slamming his door. Steve's face seemed to turn red, as he climbed to his feet and opened the door harshly, making it slam into the wall.

"DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. Arthur leaned forward and pushed the door open a little, and watched as they continued their argument in the living room.

"You NEVER think about ME anymore!" Julie shouted, throwing her hands into the air. "It's always got to be you, you, you, you, YOU! Why can't YOU see MY needs?"

"YOUR needs?" Steve asked in an aggravated shout, "YOUR needs are MET! It's YOUR ENDLESS list of demands that YOU'RE upset about!" The woman put her hands back on her hips.

"NAME ONE?" She shouted back at him.

"I'll name a HUNDRED!" He shouted back at her. Arthur was feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second. "You just HAD to have that PURSE didn't YOU?! That EXPENSIVE purse?! Then after I GET IT for you, YOU decided that you didn't LIKE the COLOR? It wasn't like I could return it! It's the SAME with YOUR necklace, your shoes, your DRESS! Is NOTHING I do good enough for YOU?" The woman slapped the man's face, then promptly turned and walked into the other room, slamming the door shut behind her. The man's face turned into a brand new shade of red. "YOU CAN'T TREAT ME LIKE THIS!" The man shouted before banging on the woman's door, pulling and twisting the doorknob to try and make it open.

"It's locked you MORON!" The woman shouted from the other side. Arthur took this distraction as a chance and quickly slipped out of the closet. He tip toed to the door and opened it, when another scream made him jump.

"Stop RIGHT there!" The man shouted. Arthur threw his hands into the air and turned around, but unexpected found that the man was still looking at the other door. "YOU'RE the reason we're IN THIS MESS to begin with!" Arthur didn't wait a second longer. He left the cabin and took off running back towards the beach, looking at the map more carefully now that he was alone. _I'm such an idiot. I was holding the map upside down earlier. I should've gone left when I saw the restroom instead of right. I'm such an idiot._ Now more focused on his direction, Arthur got back onto the main path and slowed down to a light jog. He jogged carefully along the shore, he jacket draped over his shoulder as he went back towards his cabin. He walked slowly to the door and sighed loudly. _Congratulations Arthur… You've successfully ran away from a ghost, and hid in a closet while some couple had a fight, then snuck out and came back. What did you learn from tonight exactly? _Arthur sighed again, unhappy with himself, as she turned the door knob and opened the door.

Immediately, two arms wrapped around his sides and squeezed the air out of him. Arthur squirmed a little, trying to breathe, when he heard a faint voice say into his shirt.

"You didn't come back on time…" Vivi mumbled softly. "You're late… You're really late… You were supposed to be back at 1…yet now its 1:47… Mystery came back without you, and I didn't have a way to get ahold of you… I'm so mad at you Arthur!" Despite her words, her voice came out really small, which was really unlike Vivi.

"I'm sorry V…" Arthur managed to say. "I didn't mean to worry you…" _I made her upset… She sounds like she's been crying… She's never done this before when I was late…_ Arthur felt his stomach drop, guilt making his stomach knot up. _That's because I've always had Mystery or…or even Lewis with me… We were always split into pairs… She didn't have to worry, because someone was always with me…and I forced Mystery to go back without me…_ Arthur looked down at the girl, who was still hiding her face in his shirt. He awkwardly pulled his hand over her head and patted it gently. "Look… I'm here now…"

"You're in so much trouble…" Vivi mumbled, keeping her face hidden. She fell silent and slowly let go of his sides, allowing Arthur to breathe normally again. She wiped at her eyes with her head leaning forward, hiding her face with her hair, and after a few more minutes she met Arthur's gaze. "You better have a good explanation for this."

**~.~**

**Note from Author:**

**Hey Everyone! Thanks again for keeping up so far. I had a little fun with the chapter, so if the couple seems a little clichéd, then I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself honestly! Thanks for the additional review! Even if you don't think highly of your review, I value them! I'm so happy! Thanks for the views! I'm over 200 right now! I'm so excited I could scream! The next chapter shouldn't be long!**


	10. Scars

**ALERT! ALERT! The Chapter you are about to read goes into detail about self harm, and if the subject disturbs anyone, DON'T READ! I don't want views that badly. You have been warned of the content ahead, and this is one of the reasons I listed the content time as it is. This is a sensitive subject, and is not to be taken lightly by anyone.**

**Thank you.**

**~.~**

Vivi's ability to make him talk was usually good that hour. She demanded to know what had happened, and Arthur told her everything from when the ghost came up to him on the beach. He recalled all the details, being careful not to leave out anything. Vivi gently placed her hand to her chin and bit her bottom lip, what she always did when she was thinking. "Well… It seems you've gathered some really useful information Arthur." He raised an eyebrow, a little skeptical.

"What happened to you while you were gone then?" He asked.

"I went around the lake to check out the boat house and other cabins. Cabins I, L, and M are empty. The bathroom that's really close to the lake has a few plumbing issues, and the boat rental house. I picked a lock-"

"You could've got us kicked out!"

"-but I made sure no one was around. The rental house was so boring though… It's only got a couple paddle boats and a few row boats. You'd think they'd spring to get a few motor boats so people can ski. I could have easily 'borrowed' a boat."

"We're supposed to be the good guys Vivi."

"I said 'could' Arthur. I didn't actually steal a boat." Vivi continued. "Cabin J had two old men, fishermen judging by the gear they had spread across their table."

"How do you know what was on their table?" Arthur asked.

"Same way I knew about the boats and paddle boats," Vivi answered plainly, getting a moan from Arthur.

"That's illegal…"

"Sherlock Holmes went through great lengths to find the information he needed." Vivi said, trying to justify herself.

"Sherlock Holmes is a made up character," Arthur replied, shutting down her evidence.

"Well fine then," Vivi said crossing her arms. "Since we don't have guns or super advanced equipment, I did it all the old fashioned way. Do you want to hear about the rest or not?"

"Go ahead."

"Cabin K is the one where the front desk girl is staying. I never caught her name… Anyway, I saw her inside her cabin baking something while whistling cheerfully."

"You're kidding right?" Arthur questioned, "She was so jittery at the counter… Maybe she felt safer in her cabin or something…"

"Maybe, but you can't rule out anything… I checked near the docks and found another boat by them. It looked just like the other boats in the rental house. I'm not really sure who'd using it, but the boat's oars were still wet. Someone had used them recently."

"Who would want to go out on a boat so late at night?" Arthur asked. "Sure the water looked nice, but it's so cold… I'd be too worried of falling into the water."

"You'd be worried about it no matter the circumstances Arthur," Vivi chimed playfully, making Arthur blush. "We've got to examine the main lodge and ask around tomorrow. We don't even know most of our neighbors on this side." Arthur sighed loudly and shook his head.

"I'm taking a shower and going to bed," He announced as he went by Vivi.

"What if I wanted in first?" Vivi asked, crossing her arms. "Were you even going to ask me?" Arthur looked over his shoulder at her and shook his head.

"You take too long V," He said gently as he made his way to his room. He found some pajamas to switch into, then took the extra time to dig into his backpack. _I know there's a spare screwdriver in here somewhere…_ After pulling everything out of his backpack, he finally found it at the very bottom of his largest pocket. _This reminds me of searching for pencils in high school…_ Arthur grabbed a box and carried it into the bathroom with him. He closed the door behind him and marveled at how small the bathroom was. It had a toilet, with a sink to the left, and a walk in shower on the right. It was so crammed together, Arthur barely found room to sit down. He set the box on the counter and opened it, revealing a series of syringes and a bottle of lidocaine.

_It's a routine by now…_ Arthur stripped off his shirt before he touched anything. He felt a sleeve catch on the metal briefly, before the shirt came free and fell to the floor. Arthur took off the gloves he had been wearing, setting them on the sink beside the box. He took a syringe in one hand and the lidocaine in another. He filled up the syringe with 10 mLs of 2% lidocaine, then systematically gave himself five 2 mL injections all around his arm. When he was finished, he gave the drug a few minutes to take full effect, before taking the screwdriver in his right hand. It was a really simple task. The way the metal was designed, the main arm slipped over the housing, and connected on the inside. He had added a few screws on the outside for extra insurance.

He took out the screws and pulled the arm gently, making it move slowly apart. The wires became visible, the main cluster connected to the now exposed nerve. Arthur carefully detached the wires, thankful that the lidocaine worked for at least thirty minutes. He laid the metallic arm aside and turned on the shower water. He used his good hand to easily unbutton his pants and stripped, the act perfected through a lot of practice. Arthur caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, his eyes falling to the reflection of his exposed stump.

He stared at his own admittance of guilt, his eyes starting to tear up at the sight. _I've never been proud of myself for that day… Lewis was my best friend…but I'm such a coward… I've always been a coward… I can only admit my guilt to myself…_ He stared at his arm, then gently ran his hand over the seven thin letters that were carved into the stump, just above the metal housing.

TRAITOR

The letters had been carved by a kitchen knife, shortly after he had returned home. The memory flashed before his eyes.

_His mother led him into the house, her arm wrapped around his torso, as she slowly led him back to his room. She helped him to his bed and made him lay down, the medicine making him too drowsy to resist her. His mom said something too him, perhaps telling him to get better. He didn't know… Her voice didn't reach him. He stared up at the ceiling long after his mom left. He stared and stared, not really thinking consciously, until he fell asleep._

_Sleeping was a mistake._

_The images ran through his head, freezing and replaying over and over again._

_Cave. Fork. Green. Push. Blood._

_Then he was gone._

_Arthur saw the images come back, the eerie voice whispering in his ear, with his own thoughts shouting back. It wasn't my fault. I didn't mean to. Lewis was my best friend. I never wanted to hurt him. His own thoughts turned poisonous in an instant._

_**Jealous. Scared. Intimidated.**_

_He tried to push them away, but they only got worse._

_**Angry. Hateful. Miserable.**_

_No more… No more!_

_**Liar.**_

_I was scared._

_**Thief.**_

_I never wanted to steal Vivi away from him! I just felt left behind! I trusted that Lewis would take care of me!_

_**You didn't take care of him.**_

_He was my friend!_

_**Traitor.**_

_He bolted up in bed and trembled incredibly, then went into the bathroom. He had sworn long ago never to do this again, but the person he made the promise to was gone. He swung open the cabinet and pulled out a razor blade. The word repeated in his head, over and over again as the blade pressed against his skin._

_**Traitor. Traitor. TRAITOR!**_

_He felt his skin sting as blood come from the first cut, dripping down the small stump before dripping onto the floor. Seeing his blood gave him a feeling of sweet relief, like all the horrible thoughts were falling away, leaving him in the droplets._

_But they returned too quickly, the word repeating itself inside his head. He grit his teeth and made another cut, followed by another and another. Each cut stung, then a moment of relief would wash over him, but each time the moment ended faster and faster. He continued to cut into his arm until all seven letters shone red in his skin. Was he even aiming to do this? T-R-A-I-T-O-R. There it was, his own admittance of what he truly was on the inside._

_His eyes watered as he dropped the blade, then he reached his hand up and dug his nails into some of the cuts. Why couldn't that feeling of relief stay? Why couldn't the pain just drain out? Why was he left feeling this way? He felt sick, and he saw himself in the mirror._

_He felt ashamed._

_He grabbed some toilet paper and pressed it harshly against the cuts, looking over his shoulder nervously for someone to appear. He held his hand onto it as the toilet paper soaked it up slowly. He threw the filthy pieces into the toilet and grabbed new ones. When the bleeding finally slowly, Arthur found some bandages under the sink and placed them on hoping no one would ask about them. He needed long sleeved shirts. He didn't want anyone to see what he'd done. He used more toilet paper to wipe up the blood on the floor and threw it in the toilet as well before flushing it._

_The water was pink as the contents spun and disappeared. Arthur stared down at it bitter, then leaned his head back and began to scream, tears rolling down is face._

When the memory faded from his mind, Arthur found himself looking down at his left arm, tracing the letters that were now only white scars. He looked back into the mirror and found himself trembling again. "I'm such a coward…" He mumbled softly, his reflection mimicking him perfectly. "It's all my fault…and I can't…even tell anyone… Not even…for the people I love…the most…" Arthur hung his head and stepped into the shower, the water having cooled down, and forcing him to adjust the knobs again. He washed his hair and even added some conditioner, and it was as he was reaching for the soap that his eyes fell on it.

His razor was sitting only inches away from the soap. His hand reached out and clutched it, his eyes closing gently as he brought it to his neck.

_This will be the last time._


	11. Puzzle Pieces

The morning sun peeked in through the window, making Vivi sit up in bed silently. She's always been good about waking up, but some mornings just felt harder to manage. _After Arthur got out of the shower last night, I had to shower… I went to bed around 2:30…and now my watch tells me it's 8:13… Do I really need to get up early today?_ She stretched and looked outside her window, seeing the lake shimmering in the distance. _What a beautiful place… It's a shame that it doesn't have any more customers…_ Vivi rubbed the tiredness out of her eyes immediately, then got out of bed.

"This mystery needs to be solved as quickly as possible," She said as she walked to her door. "We can sleep when it's all done with." She quickly went to Arthur's door and knocked on it, almost feverishly. "Wake up Arthur! We need all the daylight we can manage!" She pulled back her hand and readied to knock again, when it swung open.

"I'm awake V," Arthur mumbled softly, rubbing his eyes with his flesh arm. "I woke up a few minutes ago… Before we go out to investigate, I demand food." Arthur laughed softly, trying to be playful with her.

"Alright then," Vivi responded plainly, "Just make it fast. I want to get on with it." Arthur looked at her and loud out a heavy sigh.

"You seem extra motivated today…" He went into the kitchen and made himself a quick breakfast, some buttered toast with orange juice, then went back into his room. "I'll get changed." Vivi stared at him for a moment, sensing something was off. She looked him up and down slowly, Arthur getting a nervous flush when she does. "What's wrong…?" Vivi bit her lip, thinking of how to word it.

"It's just…not that I'm against it…"

"Just say it…"

"I'm wondering…why you slept with your arm on?" Vivi asked slowly. Arthur raised an eyebrow, before looking back to metallic arm.

"I…I just didn't want to mess with it this morning…" He answered, avoiding her eyes. Vivi put her hands on her hips and grit her teeth.

"Arthur, you are a grown man," Vivi almost hissed at him. "But you are the lousiest liar in the country." He winched at her words, but she didn't back down. "I swear if you don't look me in the eyes and tell me the truth, I will toss you in the lake!" It's not like she would actually do that to him, knowing he'd sink like a rock, but her threats felt real.

"O-Okay…" He mumbled as he slowly met her eyes. "I…I usually do maintenance before bed…and last night, I didn't feel like it. So…instead of leaving it to get cold on the nightstand, I decided to put it back on." Arthur smiled gently at her, a sheepish look in his eyes. _He isn't telling me the whole truth… Was he afraid of something attacking him while he slept? He definitely has that look of fear about him…_

"Fine, don't tell me everything," She grumbled while crossing her arms. "You'll make it up to me later." She turned gently and went back into her room to change. Arthur stared where she had just gone, and gently rubbed his arm. _I can't tell her what I did last night… I can't let her know… She'd be so upset with me…_ He closed his door and gently took off his shirt. The skin above the metallic arm looked swollen, discoloring as it disappeared under the housing unit. _I can't tell her… She'd never leave me alone again…_ He looked into the trashcan at half full bottle of lidocaine that had been hastily thrown on top. _It's not that I like pain or anything…but it's the only time…the only time I feel my problems vanish… If only that feeling would last…_ He shook his head and left his room, still half dressed, and went into the kitchen. He found some plastic wrap and carefully bound his metallic arm, only leaving the hand untouched. _I don't know what's going to happen today…but I can't be too careful…_ Once he was done, he returned to his room.

Arthur threw on a white, long sleeved shirt, then searched his bag until he found a pair of bright orange swim trunks. He pulled them on as well, smiling gently at his reflection. He then shifted to the bathroom and added gel to his hair, spiking it up, when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He let out a short laugh.

_Long sleeved shirt with shorts. Really fashionable Arthur…_ He sifted through his luggage until he found a pair of blue jeans. It took a bit of tucking and straightening to pull the jeans over the swim trunks, but overall, the look wasn't bad. He found a bright orange coat and threw it on too. _I'm not sure what the weather's like, so I should account for all weather._ To top off his look, Arthur grabbed his gloves and pulled them on over his hands. He scooped up his backpack and opened his door, almost running into Vivi on the other side. She was dressed in her normal attire, with the exception that she was wearing her blue scarf today. Vivi put her hands on her hips and pouted gently. "You look like you're getting ready to go skiing."

"I do not…" He responded, crossing his arms.

"You'll stick out like a sore thumb," She pointed out. "You're even wearing gloves today. It's warm today Arthur." She looked at him questionably. "We can even go swimming if we have any free time."

"Yippee… Swimming," Arthur replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes to add to the effect.

"Come on Arthur, don't be a buzzkill."

"I just don't want any funny looks over my arm, okay?" Vivi''s eyes widened a moment, as if she had forgotten about the arm again.

"Oh I see…" She said gently, "You don't have to worry about that though… Their opinions don't matter."

"It could make us look suspicious though," Arthur announced, "And we want to solve this case quickly right?" Vivi bit her lip, battling her thoughts. _I do want to solve this case…but not at the expense of making Arthur hide away… Is there no other option?_ Before she could make up her mind, Arthur slipped pass her and went to the door. "We're burning daylight."

Cabin A, C, and G were empty. Vivi pointed out how odd it was that they didn't start from A and start filling up alphabetically, but it didn't have to make sense to her. Cabin D belonged to the owners, a very sweet, older couple. The husband looked to be in his 50s, but he was built strong. He was tall, 6'7" at least, and he looked more physically fit than a lot of guys do in their 20s. Arthur was jealous. He had short black hair, and a Fu Manchu mustache. He was dressed casually, wearing a plain red shirt with blue jeans, and worn out old hiking boots. His wife was smaller than him by almost a foot, but the heels she was wearing closed the distance some. She was a beautiful older woman. She had long blond hair and light green eyes. She wore a blue sundress that came to her knees. They both had tanned skin, and appeared to be a lot younger than they actually were. Mr. and Mrs. Kindrin, the owners of the lake, were nothing but friendly. Mrs. Kindrin was responsible for cooking wholesome meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and mending clothing for her guests upon request. Mr. Kindrin was responsible for maintenance for the bathrooms and the cabins when needed. It turns out that, he built and painted all the cabins from scratch, on a tight budget.

"How are you two enjoying your stay?" Mrs. Kindrin asked upon seeing them. "We're the owners here, and I love to hear feedback from our patrions." She gave the younger adults an award winning smile.

"I've loved it so far!" Vivi said happily, clapping her hands together. "The lake is simply beautiful!"

"You like it eh?" Asked Mr. Kindrin, his voice low. "I've always been fond of the water. You should go for a swim today! It's supposed to get to a cozy 87 degrees around noon and stay that way until about 6."

"Sounds nice," Arthur commented gently, trying to be nice. _I don't really think I'll go swimming anytime soon._

"Honestly," Vivi said gently, "When we got here last night, I was expecting a real spooky scene, but it's been pleasant." The wife shook her head.

"I'm sure it's nothing but a few mild pranks," She said assumingly, "But we do have to hire someone to catch the naughty little people responsible." Vivi raised an eyebrow and looked to Arthur. _Does she…not know that we were hired last night…?_ Arthur didn't voice his question, instead changing the subject.

"We've been dying to go out to the island actually," He said quickly, hoping to sound enthusiastic.

"That's no problem!" Mr. Kindrin said happily. "Just go to the rental house and ask for a boat. It's only a small fee since they're so old. We do have some rules though."

"What would they be?" Vivi asked.

"You must have life jackets at least in the boat." Mrs. Kindrin started.

"You have to sign the book when you leave and when you come back," her husband continued.

"And you can't have the boat out pass 6 o'clock," Mrs. Kindrin finished.

"Why 6?" Arthur questioned.

"Because the wind picks up around 6, and it can make for a dangerous situation," Mr. Kindrin all but blurted out.

"Inexperienced rowers can get tired really easily…" Mrs. Kindrin continued, "And the last thing we want is for someone to be stuck out in the lake, without someone around to save them."

"Yeah," Mr. Kindrin picked up. "With kids jumping off the docks from time to time, we've had a couple close calls, but thankfully no one has ever been seriously hurt here." Vivi's lipped turned into a smile as she looked to Arthur.

"Well…not that it hasn't been nice talking to you," Arthur said gently. "But we're gonna head away now." They waved goodbye and continued their investigation.

Cabin E was reserved for the worker who manned in the boat house. Chad Marley, an adult in his 30s. He didn't look very fit. He was at least 5'11", a little taller than Arthur (when he stood up straight) and he was twice as thick. He had strong looking arms, but a large stomach. He had short blond hair, and blue eyes that seemed to hold many fond memories. He didn't wear a shirt, and wore a par of blue swim trunks, that were a little too small. He didn't talk much.

"Hey there Mr. Marley," Vivi said softly. "You run the boat house, right?"

"Yes," He replied softly. She waited for him to say more, but he didn't.

"Do you do anything else for the business?" Arthur asked.

"No." He answered. The conversation was going nowhere.

"Well… We're going now!" Vivi said cheerfully as she took Arthur's arm and pulled him away. She lowered her voice down to a whisper. "He's such a creepy guy…" Cabin F consisted of another family, a husband and wife with a single little girl. Vivi didn't really take interest in them, so Arthur quickly forgot about their presence.

By the time their beginning investigation was over with, it was 2 in the afternoon. Vivi came down to the beach of the summing area and sat down close to the water.

"Vivi…You have to take your shoes off at least…" Arthur said gently, when Vivi suddenly pulled off her scarf. She started to pull off her sweater, making Arthur blush and look away.

"Arthur, you're overreacting," He heard her say. "You can look." Arthur blushed more, and slowly turned his head around. Vivi was wearing a white one-piece swimsuit with a small skirt at the bottom. It had blue trim along the top of the skirt, and around the collar. The straps were the same shade of blue. The white made Vivi's skin look darker in comparison. She took off her glasses and laid them down with the rest of her clothes. "I'm going swimming! I need to get my mind off this for a second!" Mystery barked loudly and followed her as she ran and jumped into the water. Arthur smiled softly, watching her splash at Mystery, the pup jumping to bite at the water, before swimming around in the water. The lake water as so clear in the sunlight, he could see everything at the bottom. Mystery paddled out in the water around Vivi, circling her while yipping playfully.

He wanted to join her so badly, but one look at his arm kept him on the beach. _The marks are still fresh… She'll notice it for sure…_ He found himself content with making a sand castle. He glanced up every now and then to see Vivi laughing. _Her smile is so bright… I'd give anything to keep her smiling like that._ He smiled warmly at her, before looking down at his own hands again. _If I told her… If I told her the truth…about Lewis… She'd never smile at me again… She's hate me…_ Arthur bit his lip gently. _If I don't tell her though… Lewis will just force it out of me and kill her… Not only will I die…I'll die being hated… Is it better to live hated? Or die hated?_

He didn't notice Vivi until she put a hand on his shoulder. "You're making a sad face Arthur," Vivi said softly.

"I-I am not!" Arthur defended, caught in an obvious lie.

"Don't worry about what other people think," She said softly. "Your metal arm is the coolest thing since sliced bread." She grinned softly, knowing how clichéd that last comment was. Arthur looked up into her sweet eyes and sighed gently.

"Well…" Arthur started to say, when Mystery started to bark loudly. They both turned around toward the dog, who was barking towards the water.

"I see a boat…" Vivi mumbled softly.

"Wait a second," Arthur said quickly as he fished out a pair of binoculars from his backpack. He searched around until he spotted the boat, adjusting it so he could see it clearly. "It's that Marley guy." He muttered as he passed the binoculars over to Vivi. She looked through them as well and nodded softly.

"That's him alright…"

"Shouldn't he be at the rental house?" Arthur asked, raising an eye brow. "He's supposed to be working right now." Vivi lowered the binoculars and looked to him, a determined look in her eyes.

"Vivi… He's not a nice guy…" Arthur said slowly.

"He's still human Arthur." Vivi returned, a smile on her face. "Let's see what he's doing…"

**~.~**

**Note from Author:**

**Hey! Thanks for keeping up with the story so far! I've got 6 awesome followers that I hope I won't disappoint, and over 300 views. I'm bouncing off the walls! Stay tuned and I hope you'll enjoy. Who do you think the culprit is? Hopefully, you guys like it. Review and tell me what you think!**

**Also, I'd like to add to anyone who's keeping up, that I won't be able to add the next chapter for a few days. I've got a few family events coming soon, so it may be delayed. The latest I'll post the next chapter will be Dec. 25th, but thanks for being so loyal to me so far! **


	12. Clues

Vivi's backpack had everything. Just when you think you figured out how much it holds, she surprises you by pulling something out that should not have fit in there to begin with. Vivi pulled out a deflated raft from her backpack, not even taking the time to put her normal clothes back on, and had Arthur air it up. Arthur found an air pump in his backpack and started airing it up. Vivi took off towards the bathroom with her clothes once it was halfway full.

"I'm always…always left to do these things…" Arthur grumbled, his arms starting to get sore from the action. He finally aired it all the way up when Vivi came running out, fully dressed.

"Come on, let's get this to the dock before he gets away." She said as she hurriedly grabbed one end of the raft.

"We have to leave electronics behind though V," Arthur insisted as they carried the raft towards the nearest dock.

"I'll think of something," She giggled happily. _I don't really believe you V…_ The got to the dock, Arthur searching around frantically for something to use like oars. Vivi dove under the dock, in the small area where sand hadn't met the water, and came back up holding an oar victoriously. "Found one!'

"I don't understand how this area can be so deep, with the beach right under it…" Arthur mumbled as he found another discarded oar floating by the edge of the dock. "I found it." He sat at the edge and grabbed a post, shifting his momentum forward a little more as he stretched out his hand. He felt his fingertips brush the oar, making it move away in the water. He leaned forward more, now balancing on his knees alone as he reached for the oar. He almost had it. He loosened his hold on the post, giving himself the few extra centimeters he need, then grabbed the oar.

Then he felt a sharp pain in the middle of his back, and fell face first into the water.

Arthur had been skeptical at how deep it was, but the water easily came over his head. He continued to sink as he tried his best to swim. The metal arm, though it still worked, was too heavy to help him swim up. He felt it drag him down to the bottom. The water was at least 20 feet deep, according to the harsh popping he felt in his ears. He covered his mouth with his flesh arm and looked up, seeing the dock above him. _I can't swim up. Maybe I can follow up the shore._ He turned the best he could and started trying to trudge up the steep underwater embankment. He came down to his hands and knees and started trying to crawl, air escaping his lips as he tried more desperately to get up. Every step he came forward, he slid back down a few inches. He felt his lungs ache and more air escape his lungs. He climbed more desperately, pain encircling his lungs as the last pit of air escape. He started seeing black spots in his vision. _I'm so close… I can almost…almost get out…_ He felt his limbs getting weak as he tried to scramble the rest of the way to the surface. He felt his feet slip and he started falling back down.

That's when Vivi came in front of him. She grabbed his metallic arm tied a rope around it. She dove back above the water, and Arthur felt something pull him up towards the surface forcefully. _I need to breathe…_ Arthur's head finally broke the water, and he breathed in sharply. A loud snorting sound came, since he tried to breathe in with both his mouth and nose. Vivi pulled him back onto the shore and made him lay down.

"You idiot!" She shouted, worry easy to see on her face. "You should've let me get that! That could've been really bad! I can swim in deep water! You idiot!" Despite her screaming, her face was soft, almost breaking with tears.

"Sorry, I lost my balance," Arthur said honestly. He received a punch in the chest for such a comment, and Mystery jumped onto his stomach. Arthur coughed softly and sat up, throwing the little dog off him. "V, I didn't swallow water… It's okay…" Arthur said softly, trying to console her.

"This is NOT okay!" She shouted, before her voice got really soft. "I don't want to lose you… I don't want you to disappear from my life like…" Arthur felt his heart leap in his chest.

"Like…Like what V…?" He asked nervously. _I thought you'd forgotten… Did you know this whole time…?_ "Vivi… I swear I didn't do it on purpose… I… I…"

"You better not have!" She shrieked. "If you tried to drown yourself, I would find a way to resurrect you and kill you myself!" Arthur's face paled a little more.

"You would hate me for that…?" He asked softly.

"No…No I wouldn't hate you… I just…I wouldn't let you go so easily…"

"I wouldn't… I'd never do anything to hurt you…" He mumbled gently. "What were you saying a moment ago…? Who were you referring to…?" _I don't want her to tell me… She was down there…so she probably saw what happened to Lewis… She probably knew, and was keeping it from me this whole time. I've been acting like he never existed… I must've hurt her already._

"I don't know what you mean," She answered. "I don't even know where I was going with that… It felt like I was reaching for a name, but couldn't think of anything." Arthur let out a sigh in relief. _I'll take it…_

"Shouldn't we get to the island?" I asked her, almost timidly.

"NO!" Vivi shouted loudly and looked at the end of the dock. "WE aren't going. I'M going. YOU are staying on DRY LAND where you BELONG!" Arthur laughed nervously, appreciating her concern.

"But what if that guy hurts you?" Arthur question.

"I've got a vicious attack dog who'll come with me," She answered while nodding her head. "That reminds me…" Vivi stood up and pointed to the oar that was trying to float away. "Fetch Mystery!" The dog sat up and looked in the direction the oar was, then took off running. He jumped off the dock and paddled his way to the oar, taking it in his mouth before turning around and swimming back to the shore.

"I should've thought of that," Arthur mumbled, slapping a hand to his forehead.

"He's a smart dog after all," Vivi added, smiling. "Listen, I want you to go to the rental house, in case he gets back before I get to the island. See if he does anything weird."

"Define weird?"

"Something he's not supposed to do," Vivi state bluntly. She took the oar from Mystery and carefully climbed into the raft. It held her just fine. She whistled gently, having Mystery come in beside her, then slowly started to paddle towards the island. "Stay out of the water Arthur!" She shouted loudly. "I can't save you all the time." He smiled and waved as she got farther out in the water. He did as he was told, and started walking around the beach towards the rental house.

He got to it with ease and started to head to the door, when he caught motion out of the corner of his eye. He pressed himself against the wall as a girl walked pass, having not seen him.

"That's the girl from the front desk…" He mumbled gently, keeping his voice down. She was slightly taller than Vivi, with tanner skin, and she had freckles across her nose. Her eyes were a light blue color, while her hair was long and black, coming down to her waist. She was wearing a white sundress that came down to her ankles, and a pair of flip flops on her feet. Arthur noticed a white looking powder on her hands, which came all the way up to her wrist. "Vivi did say she saw her baking… Is that flour?" A faint smell came to his nose, and he scratched his head slowly. "Vanilla…?" He watched the girl disappear in the direction of the main lodge.

Now alone, Arthur walked into the rental house. He opened the door with ease and looked among the boats. "There are two boats missing…" He mumbled to himself, not talking to anyone in particular. He closed the door behind him and looked for the checkout book. The checkout book was sitting on a counter in the back, on the other side of a window. There was a door that read 'Employees Only' that went into a small room, one with a window that looked back towards the boats. The window was supposed to slide open from the inside, where Marley was supposed to take care of the books. Arthur could see the checkout book inside the window, but sighed loudly when he found it was locked. He jumped when he heard the doorknob turn behind him. Panicking (as Arthur normally did) Arthur leaped behind a nearby boat and peeked at the door from one side of it.

"It's all your fault for leaving them on the dock," A woman's voice shouted.

"Quit nagging me," Came another voice, "You know we can't get caught with them in the cabin! People will start asking questions!" Arthur watched as Steve and Julie came in, the couple from cabin H. Julie was wearing another gaudy dress, one that was blue tulle, with several layers that came out at the waste like a tutu. The dress came to her knees and hugged her tightly, as if it was a size or two too small. She was wearing a pair of blue pumps. Steve on the other hand, looked like he was wearing the same thing Arthur had seen him in the night before. They walked over to the first boat he saw and pulled the oars out of it.

"We're gonna get caught if you don't learn to keep up with your things!" She almost shouted.

"Pipe down before somebody hears you," Steve ordered.

"Who's going to hear me?" Julie asked defensively. "We both know the guy who runs this thing goes to that dumb island around this time. It's not like he can hear us from way out there." Arthur raised an eyebrow. _They know about this guy's habit too…and they're taking advantage of it? What could they possibly be using a boat for? Does he know that other one is missing?_

"I said pipe down," Steve demanded. "Your voice is giving me a head ache. We'll be done after tonight, then we'll get out of here." Steve left the room with Julie following behind him. They left the door wide open as they hurried away. Arthur waited a few minutes, then came out of his hiding space.

"This is just getting weirder and weirder…" He mumbled gently as he continued his exploration of the rental house. He walked to the back room again. He tried the door handle, and finding it locked. _Vivi will kill me if I don't find a way into the room._ He checked over his shoulder, then searched his pockets for anything he could use. He found a paperclip in one pocket, thankful for its existence, but couldn't find anything else of use. Looking around, he searched the room for tools. He didn't need anything fancy.

In the corner of the room, next to an upturned boat, Arthur spotted a toolbox laying open. He wasted no time getting to it, and searched through the tools until he found a tension wrench about the right size. He was even lucky enough to find a pick at the bottom as well. _This is perfect._ He shoved the paperclip into his pocket and went to the door. He placed the tension wrench at the bottom of the keyhole and applied torque to the lock, trying it clockwise and counterclockwise to see which way it turns. _It seems to turn clockwise._ He applied a little torque clockwise and held it, then carefully slid in the pick, feeling the individual pins. _The first two are easy to push down, the third one is a little tough, and the last one is stubborn. Really stubborn._ He worked on the last pin, applying pressure until he heard it set. He eased a little more torque with the tension wrench, and moved onto the next pin. He completely this over and over for each pin, slowly turning it more each time, until he turned it all the way. He heard a light click, and carefully pulled the door open. _Vivi would be so proud._

Arthur carefully took out the pick, making sure not to scratch the keyhole, then pulled out the tension wrench. He slipped into the door and locked it from the inside, glancing out the window at the open door, before searching around for the checkout book.

This small room was really organized. There was a desk in the corner with a computer, a small fridge plugged up beside it. There was a large filing cabinet in the corner of the room, drawing Arthur's attention. His curiosity started to bloom, as he opened the filing cabinet. Inside, he found a files recording the names and dates of those who rented a boat for the past three years. Arthur settled on the one for last month, glancing through the names briefly. Only three parties caught his eyes. Apparently, every Saturday, the owners took a book out onto the lake. Every Sunday, was the girl from the front desk, him barely recognizing the name. Her name was Ivy Kindrin. _Is she related to the owners somehow?_

The last pair of names that caught his eyes were that of Steve and Julie. They had rented a boat almost every third day of last one. When Arthur looked through earlier books, he found their names less and more spaced the farther back he went. The first day they came was two and a half years ago. Something about the dates they came struck Arthur as odd. He walked to the desk and borrowed a sheet of paper and a pen. He started writing down the dates. When he finished, he placed back the document and looked through the dates again. _Last month is when these hauntings began… Is there a connection between their rental dates and the haunting?_

Arthur then remembered his original reason for coming into the boat house. He walked over to the small counter by the window and flipped through the checkout book, noting it was for this month. He searched the dates for the past few days, and was surprised to see Steve and Julie were not written on them. _Did they steal a boat…? Why would they do that…? They've been coming here for so long… Why are they stealing the boat now?_ Arthur heard a loud creak and ducked, peering over the counter. He saw a black figure walk into the rental house and shut the door behind him. The lighting was poor in the main room, so Arthur couldn't see who it was. He had to stifle a scream when the lights in the back room suddenly went out, leaving the room in complete darkness. Arthur started to tremble as he folded up the paper and placed it into his pocket. _Who's there? Why'd the lights go out? This is too crazy…_

He heard heavy footsteps echo throughout the room, slightly muffled by the closed window. Arthur leaned up carefully over the counter, but couldn't see anything in the black. He ducked back down as the footsteps grew louder and louder. He stood up slowly, confident the other person couldn't see him in the dark, and started to open the window slowly. He carefully crawled onto the desk and pushed the window open all the way. He started to jump out, when he heard the doorknob jiggle loudly. His heart almost stopped when he heard a low voice speak, sounding more like an animal growling than human.

"Come on out… Don't you want to see your best friend?"


	13. Screams

Arthur felt his heart stop, as he breathing caught in his throat. _Lewis… That's him… That's his voice._ Arthur slowly eased himself out of the window, holding his breath as he stepped down onto the floor. He heard the doorknob continue to jiggle as he inched himself away, towards the door. He didn't dare look over his shoulder as he walked slowly, evening his weight out carefully so as not to make a sound. He heard the sound of banging erupt behind him. "Come out coward." The voice commanded. "If you make me come in there… I'm going to drown you in the lake!" This proclamation was followed by a cruel laugh. "You used to be a great swimmer, yet you couldn't even save yourself earlier. How pathetic are you? Is the weight of your sin weighing you down yet? COWARD!" Arthur yelped as he heard a loud crashing sound, as the door was kicked down with tremendous force. He took off in a heavy run and made it out the door, as a loud scream erupted behind him.

Arthur glanced over his shoulder at the rental house multiple times as it started to disappear from his view. Just as he was about to lose sight of it, he saw a figure into the door frame. He saw the glowing white skull, the hair on top glowing brightly in rage, and the hateful gaze that fell on him. He was running so fast, he didn't realize where he was going until he ran into someone.

"Ouch!" Came a high pitched voice as he fell onto his butt. Arthur got up slowly and looked at the blue haired girl who was staring back at him. "Arthur? What are you running from?" She asked, a slight accusation in her eyes. Arthur looked over his shoulder and saw that the specter was no longer standing in the doorway. He sighed in relief and turned back to Vivi.

"Sorry…" He said gently, "I thought I saw…saw a bear or something…so I just bolted." _There's no way she'll believe that._

"I didn't think there were bears around her," Vivi stated flatly, raising an eyebrow. "What did I tell you about lying to me? It's starting to get on my nerves." She crossed her arms, making the remaining color drain from Arthur's face. "Tell me the truth…" _What do I say…? She won't let me off the hook without a good excuse… Should I tell her the truth? Yes…no… No…_

"You see… I…I saw…" Arthur began, his voice really low. "I saw a ghost…" He kept it as broad as possible, hoping Vivi will fill in the blanks herself.

"A ghost huh?" She questioned, "It's not even dark yet. Are you okay?" She leaned forward and placed her hand on his face. He felt his cheeks start to burn when her eyes softened. "You feel a little warm Arthur… Did you not dry off after falling into the lake?" Arthur didn't need to answer her, since his hair was down around his face, the bottoms trying to curl. "You should take better care of yourself. You could be getting sick." Arthur smiled softly, appreciating her concern.

"I'm fine," He said insistently. "I've got some information to tell you." Vivi became silent as Arthur retold her of what he saw, leaving out the part at the end where Lewis appeared. Her fingers came up to her chin, her eyes looked up, and she let out a low hum.

"I think I've got this mystery figured out," She said slowly. "We just need to catch our ghost tonight. I've got a plan…but you're not going to like it." Arthur looked at Vivi, a knot starting to form in his stomach.

"No Vivi, I refuse," He said plainly, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

"You're the best for the job though!" Vivi said insistently. "Please!"

"No!" Arthur said again.

"What if I take you out to dinner tonight?"

"I still refuse." Arthur replied.

"Dinner and a movie?"

"You'll just pick a horror film. NO!" Vivi fell silent. Arthur tried to keep looking away, but he eventually turned his face to the blue haired girl. She was looking down, her hair covering her eyes. A small grin crossed her face.

"Alright then, I'll change tactics." She said in a low voice, one that made Arthur nervous. "If you don't do it, I'll make you watch every single Saw movie, then leave you stranded at an old gas station for a whole night." Arthur shuddered.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Are you willing to bet on that?" Vivi asked coolly. Arthur tensed up as she met his eyes, unblinking. _She's bluffing… She's bluffing!_ He stared back at her, almost sensing lightning between them.

Arthur was the one who caved.

"Alright! Fine!" He whined loudly, "But after this, I want a new video game and a dinner. I chose the game and place!"

"You can choose the game," Vivi said quickly.

"Fine, deal." Arthur pouted. Vivi stood up and smiled excitedly.

"Alright then, let's get everything ready for tonight."

Arthur hated this idea. He hated it with every fiber of his being. He trembled at the thought of it, but there was no getting out of it. It was a quarter to midnight, and he was standing on the beach. He had Mystery walking beside him, rushing at the water now and then, and running back when the water seemed to chase him. _Why is it that I have to be BAIT?_ It was the same as every other adventure they had gone on, so expecting differently was Arthur's fault. He sighed loudly as he checked his watch every minute or so.

"Mystery buddy…" He mumbled gently, getting the dog's attention. "Man I wish you could speak… Maybe you can give me some advice…" Aside from the matter at hand, another issue screamed in the back of his mind. "I want to tell her…but I don't want her to hate me… I don't want to die either… If I have to tell her either way… Is it better to live…with her…hating me…? Or die before she really can…?" The little dog whined and walked up to him, gently pawing at his pant leg. Arthur sighed and looked over his shoulder. He was still alone. _Vivi will be waiting for me by the dock… It's not like she can see me from here…_

Arthur sat down on the beach, staring out at the water again. _It really does look beautiful… I'd love to come back here someday…_ His stomach sank a little, as his thoughts started to pound in his head. _I don't deserve to come back here… I don't deserve to be traveling the country with her… It's not like she loves me… It feels like she reminds me of our friendship whenever she can… No…No it's not her fault… Nothing is her fault… I'm the one at fault… I'm the one who got jealous… I'm the one who couldn't separate from my emotions in the presence of a demon… I was the one who let myself get possessed… Even if the demon was controlling me… It was still my arm… It was still me…_

Arthur looked down at himself, glancing at the metallic arm, then pulled his opposite hand in front of him. He pulled the sleeves of the jacket and his long sleeved shirt down, and pulled the wrist to his mouth. He bit down on his wrist, groaning softly as he felt it sting. He bit down harder and harder until he could taste blood. It stung harshly, burning for a few moments before a sense of relief washed over Arthur. Mystery whined loudly at him and pawed his shoulder, as if trying to make him stop. He held his teeth down, and bit down harder when he felt the relief start to disappear. _I just want to keep this feeling… I don't want to hurt anymore… I'm so tired of hurting…_

Mystery let out a low grow, making Arthur release his wrist immediately. The dog growled loudly and looked pass Arthur. He checked his watch and realized it was five minutes pass midnight. He felt a cold chill run over his shoulder, and left to his feet immediately. He forced his sleeve down and turned around, seeing the pail woman standing behind him. Her hair was over his face, her arms lowered to her sides.

"Leave… Leave now…" She said in her low, horrifying voice. Arthur felt the color drain from his face.

"Why should I?" He asked, barely above a whisper. Just as before, the girl jerked her head up and screamed.

"I SAID TO GET OUT OF HERE!" She shouted loudly as her hands come up. Arthur took this moment to use a strategic retreat. He bolted away towards the docks, checking over his shoulder after a few feet. She was following him. _It would be pointless if she didn't._ Arthur glanced over his shoulder multiple times, slowing his pace slightly when the distance became too great. _Vivi said we only have one shot at this._ He kept running until he saw the dock in front of him. A relieved smile came across his lips as he saw the outline of the rope, a little in front of the docks. _Vivi said this snare trap would work like a charm. All I have to do is avoid it, and let the ghost step into it. Piece of cake. I will be out a danger, and we'll have this case all wrapped up._

Mystery barked loudly and ran in front of him, a little too excited, and let out a loud yelp as he became ensnarled in the trap, flying up into the air.

"Dang it Mystery!" Arthur shouted as he heard a voice behind him.

"YOU'RE MINE NOW!" the ghoul shouted as her hand crept over his shoulder. Arthur wailed as he ran faster, not knowing where else to go, onto the dock. He came to a skidding halt at the very end and froze. He heard footsteps behind him, stepping closer and closer. He started to tremble as he turned around. The ghoul was walking towards him, a sickening smile on her face. "I hope you can swim!" She came within inches of him and placed her hands on his shoulders. Arthur let out a loud scream.

Steve and Julie laughed gently, as they carried their suitcases towards their car in the middle of the night.

"What did I tell you?" He asked her through fits of laughter. "That went off without a hitch. Now if anyone asks, they'll blame that dumb boat keeper. We're off Scott free!" Julie laughed happily and took his arm.

"Oh Steve, I never should've doubted you!" She said happily. "Now we're off to live happily for the remainder of our lives!" She stepped in front of him and spun happily on her heel.

"This is the greatest night of my life!" Steve shouted as he led her down the path.

In the distance, a blood curdling scream fill the air, making the couple stop in their track. Steve took a step back, looking from left to right.

"S-Steve… What was that…?" Julie asked him, coming back to his side.

"Probably just some kids…" He answered. He looked to his side again, when Julie pointed behind him.

"L-Look Steve!" She pointed. He turned to see a figure, glowing white in the distance.

"It's just a kid Julie, get ahold of yourself," Steve almost growled, as he looked to the girl. "Get out of here you best! Before I come over there and knock your head off." The girl seemed to be coming closer.

"I don't think you should agitate the ghost like that," Julie said in a small voice.

"It's not a ghost you moron!" He shouted. "It's probably just a kid in makeup!" He turned towards the ghost and starting walking over to her. "I'll teach you to try and scare me!" He got closer and closer, only a few feet away, before a horrendous scream erupted. The scream erupted in every direction, making the grown man grab his ears. He looked up to see the girl was slowly starting to come off the ground, her hands coming up in front of her.

"This is MY HOME! YOU'RE TRESSPASSING! GET OUT!" She shouted as wind came through the trees and blew her hair up, showing her horribly distorted face and bloody eyes. Steve let out a loud cry and turned.

"Let's get out of here!" He shouted as he ran pass Julie. They ran as fast as they could, and screamed when they looked over their shoulder. The ghost stayed right above them, raised high in the air.

"What are we gonna do?" Julie cried hysterically.

"Split up! SPLIT UP!" He shouted as he dove to the left. Julie dove to the right as the ghost rushed pass them. Julie held her luggage close to her. She turned sharply and ran away from the path until she was breathless. She looked around in the dark, and started looking around.

"I-I'm lost…" She whined gently as she looked around. She heard a faint sob in the distance, and started walking towards the voice. "I-Is someone there…?" She asked as she drew nearer and nearer to the sobbing noise. She slowly came upon a girl, one with short blue hair that was kneeling down in front of the tree. She had her back to Julie, and she was crying softly. "D-Dear… Is something wrong…? A-Are you lost? Cause we can be lost together if you want?" Julie said as she neared the girl.

"I-I can't… I can't move…" The girl cried slowly, in between sobs.

"Why can't you move honey?" Julie asked softly. "Don't be scared… cause one of us needs to be brave."

"I-I c-can't d-d-do anything," The girl whimpered again.

"Why is that sweetie?" At this point, she came down to the girl's side and gently touched her shoulder. The girl suddenly jerked around and screamed.

"She took my eyes!" She screamed hysterically as blood seemed to roll down her face. "She stole my leg! A-And my chest is bleeding! Help me! It hurts so badly!" The girl had blood running from where her eyes were supposed to be, and Julie noticed how one leg came to a stump against the ground. That spooked her, but what terrified her was her chest. The girl's chest was torn wide open, and she could see the empty space where a heart was supposed to be. Julie screamed and bolted.

"AAAAH!" She wailed as she took off in the direction she thought the lodge was.

Meanwhile, Steve had bolted to the opposite direction. He ran until he found a bathroom and slammed the door shut behind him. The light in the room flickered as he rushed over to the sink.

"It's not real… It's just a prank…" He muttered as he threw water in his face. He checked to make sure he still had his suitcase on him. "I've got to get out of here… Whether I have that woman with me or not." The lights flickered again, and he heard the door open up. "Who's there?!" He shouted as he turned to face the door. He saw a young man with blond hair enter, his hair oddly spiked. He had black facial hair and a few black hairs in the front of his head.

"Woah dude, are you okay?" He asked the older man gently. "Sorry if I startled you. I'm looking for my friend. A blue haired girl, about this tall?" He said this while motioning a level at his chin. "She sticks out like a sore thumb. I haven't seen her since about midnight." Steve sighed gently, feeling silly for overreacting like he did.

"No, I haven't seen anyone like that," He answered.

"Aw… That stinks." The boy said unhappily. "I'm going to check the main lodge next then. Maybe I'll have better luck." Steve looked at the boy and quickly went over to him.

"I'm going that way anyway," He said quickly, "Let's go together. Walking in pairs at night can never hurt." He grinned nervously, but the boy didn't question him.

"I'm not sure what you mean, but okay. Let's go." The two of them walked towards the main lodge, almost in silence. "So…Dude… Are you leaving? It's only Saturday." Steve looked to him and grumbled softly.

"I've got an urgent matter to attend to at him, so I'm leaving." Steve answered plainly.

"Oh…cool…" The younger boy answered.

Suddenly, another loud shriek erupted from beside them. The younger boy tensed up and looked to the side. "Is someone hurt? Wait here for a second… That voice sounded like my friend's…" Before the older man could argue, the boy slipped into the woods and vanished from his sight. There was a long moment of silence, when he heard the boy scream, and the sound of footprints. "Help! Help! There's something in here!" The man stepped away from the path as the boy fell onto it, grabbing at his feet.

Steve screamed in horror, as he saw a bloody sleeve flapping in the wind from where the boy's left arm used to be. The boy grabbed his foot with his remaining hand and looked up at him crying. "H-Help me!" He cried loudly. "I don't wanna die! Please help me!" He held on tighter as an unseen force suddenly started pulling him back into the woods. "No! No! Help! Please help!" Steve panicked, and kicked the boy's hand with his other foot. A few stomps and the fingers slipped from his shoe, as the boy vanished into the woods screaming.

He then took off running towards the main lodge, as the blood curdling scream from before erupted among the trees.

"YOU can't ESCAPE! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" The terrifying voice shrieked from behind him. He looked over to see the ghost girl from before was right behind him. He screamed as he ran as fast as his feet could carry him. He didn't look ahead when he suddenly slammed into a figure. He looked up to see Julie, who was pale.

"Steve?! OH GOD!" She shouted as she squeezed him. "I-I'm so scared! There was a girl in the woods! She was missing her eyes! A-And her leg! A-And she didn't have a heart! She was bleeding and crying! I was so scared Steve!"

"YOU'RE SCARED!" He shouted as he grabbed her shoulders. "I just watched a boy get pulled away into the forest after SOMETHING ripped his ARM OFF! HIS ARM!" He pointed behind him. "AND NOW THERE'S THAT GHOST CHASING ME!" Julie looked pass him, her lip trembling.

"Th-There's nothing here… There's nothing there Steve…" She said slowly. He turned to look, when a cold hand clasped around his shoulder.

"You're MINE now." The voice whispered into his ear.


	14. Short Stories

He let out a scream as the specter took a step away. The couple was suddenly hoisted into the air, colliding with each other as they felt themselves get squeezed together. Lights suddenly came on from every direction, blinding the two for a moment, as a calm woman's voice filled the air.

"And now we've captured the real criminals. Well done guys." Vivi smiled as she stood before the two, who were now suspended in the air by a fishing net. Vivi walked forward and smiled from ear to ear. "The evidence should be in your suitcase." She announced as she walked up to the suitcase sitting on the ground by itself. She released the hatch and watched it as it came open, several pieces of fine jewelry spilling out from among the luggage. She turned around and smiled at Arthur, who was working on reattaching his arm. She looked to Ivy and smiled gently.

"I called the cops a minute ago, so they should be here soon." Ivy assured. As if on cue, sirens became audible in the distance. Vivi smiled and sat down in front of the two.

"I don't understand what's going on here…" Steve mumbled as he tried to adjust himself in the net, only to tangle himself a little more in it.

"Oh, it's a really good story actually. Where should I start?" She asked as she looked over to Arthur.

"The beginning is always nice," Arthur said, his arm now reattached.

"Let me think… Oh yeah." Vivi smiled as she put her hands in the air. "Now, a lot of pieces were involved in this case, so let's start with the event that took place first. A long time ago, when this place was still new, you two came here and stashed away some jewelry you'd stolen. I figured this out by checking the news, and comparing them to all the times you rented boats. You started coming here more frequently, bringing more and more valuable jewelry with you each time and adding it to your stash."

"Oh I see," Arthur said quickly. "The more they got used to it and got away with it, the more frequently they came here and rented boats."

"I didn't notice anything until you started coming here almost every other day," Ivy chimed in.

"When she saw that, she decided to go out to the island and see what you were up to." Vivi continued. "She made sure you didn't see her. She saw you bury some jewels on that little island, and she was upset."

"Of course I was!" Ivy almost shouted. "This is my family's business, and you two had turned it into a thieves' den!"

"Anyway…" Vivi continued. "Ivy dressed up as a specter in an effort to scare you away, or at least get the police out her to investigate. She didn't want her parents or Mr. Marley to take the blame for your crime."

"You haven't told me what HE was doing out there though." Arthur said, almost pouting.

"I can tell you that," Ivy said happily. "Mr. Marley is actually a real lover of nature. He's been growing a rose garden there, in hopes that the romantic scene will help attract more customers. He goes out every day to tend to them, since it can get pretty hot."

"Tough guy into roses?" Arthur questioned.

"Yes Arthur," Vivi assured him, "I saw him myself."

"How'd you know about the jewelry though?" Arthur quizzed her.

"I stumbled on the stash by mistake," Vivi assured him. "Anyway, we couldn't approach Ivy normally, cause more than likely, she would've denied everything, so we had to catch her in the act. That's when we devised out plan…

Here's what happened…"

"YOU'RE MINE NOW!" the ghoul shouted as her hand crept over his shoulder. Arthur wailed as he ran faster, not knowing where else to go, onto the dock. He came to a skidding halt at the very end and froze. He heard footsteps behind him, stepping closer and closer. He started to tremble as he turned around. The ghoul was walking towards him, a sickening smile on her face. "I hope you can swim!" She came within inches of him and placed her hands on his shoulders. Arthur let out a loud scream.

The ghost did too. She suddenly lurched to the side and fell into the water, sputtering loudly as she came to the surface. Arthur looked down to her, then looked up to see Vivi standing in front of him, her arms still extended out.

"Are you okay Arthur?" She asked, panting gently. She looked over to the side at the ghost. "I think she needs a lift." Arthur tensed a little and looked down at the girl. She had managed to grab onto the dock, but didn't seem to have enough arm strength to pull herself up. Her hair, which had been white before, was now streaked with white and black. Her skin was more tanned looking now, and her face looked like it was running. One of her eyes looked normal, but the other was blue as she stared up at them.

"The counter girl… Um… Ivy…" Arthur said as he leaned down and took her hand. She grabbed onto his arm with the other, and Arthur pulled her back onto the dock. Her continued to run, and she sighed gently.

"So you've got me…" She said slowly, sitting down on the dock. "Now what're you going to do?" Arthur looked to Vivi, who was getting a devious smile on her face.

"We're going to help you," She said quickly, smiling from here to ear.

"Wait?! What? Why" Arthur asked at once.

"Will you trust me on this?" Vivi asked sharply. Her voice said 'what I say goes' to Arthur, and he sighed loudly.

"You owe me an explanation when this is over with," He indicated firmly. Vivi smiled and looked to Ivy.

"You ready to end this?"

Vivi and Arthur worked together with Ivy, planning an elaborate scare tactic to force the two criminals into hiding. Vivi mixed up some paint and tore her shirt down the middle, making sure to hide what she needed to hide. She painted an empty chest cavity on her chest, then painted streaking blood over her eye lids. Faking the leg was easy in the dark. She simply took off her shoe and painted the bottom half black, then painted blood so it looked like the leg was bleeding from a stump.

Arthur's makeup was fairly easy too, since he only needed to take off his arm when he needed to and add fake blood to the sleeve. Now, the tricky part, was figuring out how to make Ivy fly. When Steve had gotten close, Arthur and Vivi were in the dark, pulling on a series of wires to give Ivy the illusion of flight. They had to strain to make her keep up with the running couple, but it was worth it when the two finally split.

Vivi estimated the direction and distance Julie would go, and ran ahead in the dark. The frantic woman practically ran in circles. She closed her eyes when the woman got close to give the illusion that they were missing, and waited for the right moment.

Arthur simply followed Steve, biding his time before meeting him in the bathroom. When he heard the scream while they were walking through the woods. He dove back behind the trees and detached his arm, while Ivy took the time to tie a rope around one of his feet. She held onto his arm when he went running back, putting on a wonderful performance. Ivy pulled on the rope when she knew he had gotten back to Steve. She pulled until Arthur's grip failed, and he came sliding back.

The next part got a little tricky. They had to rewire up Ivy and pull her along, making sure to drive Steve and Julie together so they would collide over the net they had carefully laid out to capture them. They managed to get Ivy in the air to follow him, and the moment they collided, they lowered her and allowed her to sneak around the two criminals. They deserved one last scare before Arthur and Vivi pulled the ropes, trapping the couple in the cage. The lights were a special touch Vivi decided to add for dramatic effect, and she was pleased with the end result.

Ivy cleaned up before the cops arrived. Arthur threw his jacket around Vivi, then stepped back out of direct sight. He smiled when the cuffs were thrown onto the two crooks, and even more so when they were carried away.

"You know…" Arthur said slowly, looking to Ivy. "I don't understand why you didn't tell your parents about this…or about hiring us…" Ivy looked over at the two of them and blushed gently.

"I didn't want them to worry…" She said softly, "They didn't know about the hauntings… They don't bring newspapers out this far, so that issue resolved itself. When you guys came though, I was in trouble. I couldn't let my parents find out, so I rushed you out of there quickly. I didn't hurt you, grabbing your shirt like I did, right?" Vivi smiled gently and shrugged her shoulders.

"It's no problem." She said happily. "But… No offense, but we're not a charity." Ivy started to speak, when a shout was heard in the distance.

"Ivy!" Mr. Kindrin shouted as he came running.

"Are you okay honey?" Mrs. Kindrin asked, running beside him. Ivy smiled and hugged her parents when they came to her.

"I'm fine Mom… See?" She answered, waving her hands back and forth in front of her parents.

"You better tell me what's going on, right now." Mr. Kindrin demanded sternly.

"Let me handle that," Vivi said happily. "The blonde in the background, the little dog, and I make up a gang called the Mystery Skulls. Your daughter thought she saw ghosts out here, so she had us investigate. What we found though, were a couple of thieves who were frightening away guests to keep their secret stash safe." Arthur smiled in the background. _Vivi has always been the best at talking her way out of any situation. It's no surprise that she'd be able to do it for someone else too._

"That's right!" Ivy said insistently. "I didn't want to be wrong, so I didn't call the police or tell you. But…But I promised to pay them for their help." The couple eyed each other, as if not completely believing the story, but a smile crossed their lips.

"So…" Mrs. Kindrin began, smiling cheerfully. "How much do we owe you?"

A few hours later, and they were together in the van again. Arthur was driving again, while Vivi was laying down in the back seat.

"They paid us more than I asked…" Vivi mumbled gently, her hand over her eyes.

"We could've stayed one more night you know," Arthur reminded her, drowsiness in his voice as well.

"I know…but I want to get there soon," Vivi grumbled from the back seat.

"It's only going to take us 3 hours and roughly 30 minutes…" Arthur offered.

"No… We need to get there today, and then we can sleep in our own beds." Vivi smiled happily as she stretched in the back seat. "Just bear with me Arthur… You know I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't come home for my mom's birthday." Arthur sighed gently, glancing over at Vivi before looking back to the road.

"I'll be looking forward to staying on that soft guest bed again…" He said gently, a smile on his face. "Maybe I'll even visit my mom while we're home." Vivi sat upright, her face showing shock.

"You actually WANT to see your Mom?" She asked, though it sounded like an accusation. "What on Earth has gotten into you? Didn't you guys part on bad terms?" Arthur sighed loudly and shrugged his shoulders.

"Look… She made it more of a big deal than she had to," Arthur mumbled gently. "She gave me the ultimatum, to choose whether to stay with her and stay financially stable, or to leave with you guys and have nothing but what I could carry with me. In my opinion, she should've known better than to try that with me." Vivi leaned over the seat, a little concern on your face.

"Arthur… She was just worried about you."

"I know V," He replied, "But she knew how much I wanted to leave… She knew I didn't want to stay in that house… It was driving me crazy. All I've ever done was go to school and stay in that house, aside from the times I managed to go hang out with you. I had so much more fun with you than I ever had with anything she ever got me."

"Arthur…" Vivi said in a low voice. "She loves you…after you lost your arm… You fell into such a depression… I'm sure she didn't want you to get hurt again…" Vivi gently ran her fingers through Arthur's hair, making him blush. "I was scared you were going to do something bad to yourself honestly… You got so scrawny…"

"Vivi…"

"Then you surprised me one day, showing up in the van, telling me you wanted to go on another adventure." She continued, a smile coming to her face. "I was so excited, but I was also so terrified… I didn't know what had happened to you, and when I asked, you'd clam up. I was afraid you'd never talked to me again…" Vivi leaned back a little, then made small grunting noise while she hit the seat. "This thing is so lumpy… Anyway, I wanted you to so badly tell me what you were talking about when we left the cave, but you kept avoiding the subject all together." Arthur tensed up, looking over his shoulder at Vivi.

"What did I say when we left the cave?" He questioned her, his voice very low in his throat.

"You… You kept saying something about… About a Lew...Hiss? I'm not sure… You kept saying it things like 'It was all my fault', and 'It should've been me', and 'Lew…Lew…..Hiss….'" Vivi said gently. _She mistook the name Lewis for this odd term Lew Hiss…Maybe I was in really bad shape._ "I don't want you to clam up again… I want you to tell me what you were talking about… Tell me what gave you so many nightmares… Tell me…" Her voice came out as a small plea. Arthur swallowed and glanced over at Mystery, who was sitting next to him. Mystery pawed at his leg, then bobbed his head up and down before licking his cheek softly.

"Vivi… I…" _I don't want you to hate me… You're the last friend I have last… I don't want you to hate me Vivi… I don't want that… I'd rather die than have you hate me… Maybe if I die, you'll forget about me too and live your life happily._ "I…I don't…I don't really know… know what happened in the cave…" His arms began to tremble as the color drained from his face. "N-No completely… I can't… I can't…" Vivi suddenly hushed him from the back seat, and patted his shoulder.

"Stop…" She instructed. "Listen, you're tired and you need to drive. I don't need you breaking down right here… Just tell me while we're at home… You can tell me alone too if you'd like." Arthur sighed gently and looked over his shoulder at Vivi, her blue eyes wider than normal from concern.

"Fine…Fine Vivi…" Arthur mumbled gently as he looked back to the road. "I'll tell you… I'll tell you after I talk to my mom." Vivi smiled faintly as she laid back down in the back.

"I swear Arthur, the last time you acted this way… I found out from a friend that you were getting beat up after school…"

"I don't wanna remember that," Arthur mumbled softly. "Not only did you find the bullies and beat them up, you dragged them back to me and made them apologize on their hands and knees…"

"The needed to learn some respect." Vivi said happily.

"Did they really have to call me King Arthur though?"

"I didn't hear you complain," Vivi defended.

"I told you I didn't want that! Before you even did that!" Arthur whined softly. "I didn't want you to beat them up! I didn't want them to apologize! I especially didn't want them calling me that ridiculous nickname. You did it anyway."

"Oh just admit you liked it." Vivi grumbled softly, a playful hint to her voice.

"I didn't like it…" Arthur mumbled gently. "It made me happy knowing you cared so much though…"

"That year was full of fun too," Vivi giggled happily, sitting up again. "Remember when we went to the haunted house together?"

"How could I forget?" Arthur asked grumpily. "I caught cornered by the guy pretending to be a serial killer with a chainsaw, and actually passed out."

"Whose fault is that exactly?" Vivi asked, leaning over his shoulder. "I told you not to go down that hallway. I told you it was a dead end, but you bolted."

"I was terrified!" Arthur defended, making Vivi start laughing. "I wasn't listening to anything!"

"Arthur, there was, like, fifty signs all down that hallway saying it was a dead end. You should've noticed at least ONE of them."

"I did notice one…" Arthur mumbled softly.

"Yeah, the one at the very end of the hallway, right when you got to it." Vivi started laughing hysterically. Arthur pouted and looked over at Mystery, who seemed to be smiling.

"What're you smiling for?" He questioned the dog, a little frustrated. "You ran away when that black cat came out of the painting." Mystery's doggie grin vanished, his ears laying back against his head. "And you're not the bravest either." He looked over at Vivi, who had calmed herself down to giggles. "The second you see a mouse, you'll jump on a chair and scream for one of us to kill it."

"Hey now!" Vivi exclaimed. "Those little things are disease ridden, nasty, four legged demons! One bit and I could come down with something bad and die!"

"And I wouldn't have?"

"Mice are one of the few things that don't bother you," Vivi grumbled softly. "And Mystery likes to chase them around. It's better for you to do it. You're too nice to even kill them. You trap them and release them outside."

"They had such beady eyes…"

"They kept coming back though!"

"That was just your imagination V." Arthur stated plainly, glancing over his shoulder again. "You kept saying that it was the same mouse over and over again, even though that's HIGHLY unlikely."

"It's not impossible though."

"Vivi…"  
>"Oh yeah?" Vivi's voice chimed like a challenge. "What about you and your dumb spider theory?"<p>

"That's not fair."

"Is it not?" Vivi challenged. "Whenever you saw a spider, if you didn't see it get killed, you would hide under the covers with bleach spray ready, cause you were convinced it would come for you."

"There is nothing scarier than when a spider disappears Vivi!" Arthur defended, his cheeks starting to flush.

"How about the time you didn't shower for a week because one disappeared?"

"I was protecting sacred territory." Arthur defended. "If you woke up with a mouse on your chest, you'd probably stay out of your own bed for a month!" Arthur turned his head and met Vivi's glare. For a split second, he thought he crossed the line, when the blue haired lass started laughing again.

"You're probably right." She agreed, nodding gently. Arthur cracked a smile and looked back towards the road. "Man… I can't wait to get home… You know my mom's going to fawn over you."

"She still thinks I'm too thin?" Arthur questioned.

"She thinks you're Anorexic," Vivi clarified. "She's convinced that you're not eating nearly enough."

"It's a high metabolism!" Arthur groaned loudly. "I've always had it. I can eat whatever I want and however much I want to eat, and I'll never gain any weight."

"Lucky," Vivi grumbled bitterly. "Even if you were normal, all the running you do would keep you small."

"Hey, I guess there's a benefit to being a scaredy cat." Arthur indicated with a smile.

"You are not a scaredy cat." Vivi said insistently.

"Are you kidding? Yes I am."

"You are not." Vivi maintained. "You've just got good instincts when it comes to dangerous situations. That's all."

"No… I just ran because I was afraid of getting hurt…or kidnapped…or sacrificed by a cult." Arthur mumbled gently.

"You were only snatched by an occult one time!" Vivi said gently, holding back a giggle. "They were idiots too."

"That was a traumatic experience V," Arthur whined softly.

"Why is that?" Vivi said between giggles. "Is it because they stripped you before tying you to the alter?" Arthur's cheeks started burning.

"That's not funny!"

"It was hilarious Arthur." Vivi informed him, leaning back and laughing happily behind him. "They painted you up too! Those people couldn't draw to save their life! Their supposed satanic symbol looked like a crooked smiley face."

"I'm glad you're getting SO much pleasure from my misfortune." Arthur said and sighed gently. A weak smile crossed his lips as she continued to giggle.

"I'm sorry Arthur," Vivi apologized, though she continued to giggle through it. Arthur resisted his desire to roll his eyes.

"Sure you are," He muttered gently. "You've had your share of embarrassing moments…"

"Oh really?" Vivi asked, her challenging tone back. "Name one."

"Oh that's too easy," Arthur said as his smile got warmer. "What about the time you walked over a vent, and your skirt and shirt blew straight up?" He glanced into the mirror and saw Vivi's face turn pink. "You were wearing your polka dotted panties too." Vivi lunged and grabbed Arthur's hair, pulling on it mercilessly.

"You SWORE you DIDN'T look!" She shouted as she pulled his hair more, mercilessly aiming to pull his hair out.

"I didn't look!" Arthur whined as he took one hand off the wheel, trying to fight her off.

"Then how would YOU know?" Vivi asked sharply, glaring into the back of his skull. Arthur opened his mouth to answer, when his heart sank. _That was because Lewis had seen them, by accident, and had said something… She had attacked him for looking and called him a pervert for a few weeks… I forgot about that…_

"A-A kid shouted about it, remember?" Arthur asked, lying through his teeth.

"Nope." Vivi pulled on his hair more and pouted unhappily. "You're about to earn yourself a new nickname." Arthur whined softly at the pulling, and gently took his wrist.

"Vivi no… We're going home and I don't want your parents getting angry at me for something that happened over a year ago…" Arthur protested. Vivi slowly released his hair and crossed her arms.

"Fine…but you owe me…" She mumbled softly, and promptly flopped back down in the seat. "Wake me up when we get there. I'm exhausted." Vivi let out a long sighed and rolled away from Arthur, facing the backseat. "And don't think I've forgotten… You better tell me what's been bothering you…" Arthur sighed loudly and looked ahead, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I will V…I will…"

**~.~**

**Note from Author:**

**Hey! What'd you think of that little mystery story? Did it come out well? I'd love to know. The next few chapters, if they come out the way I imagine, will be a little harder to read. Less fun and games when there's guilt weighing on your heart. Also, I've been seeing a lot of shipping everywhere else, and I've been reluctant to act on any ships in this one. Does anyone have a preferred ship? I won't judge (not my place) so leave me a brief review and tell me what ship you'd like to see. Vivi X Arthur? Arthur X Lewis? Lewis X Vivi? I will not make the option for Vivi X Arthur X Lewis available, simply cause I can't do it. Sorry, but the thought makes me feel sick personally. It's just not for me. Well! Review and tell me what you like! May the most voted win.**


	15. Photos

**~.~**

**Note from Author:**

**Warning! This chapter contains information on self harm and some cursing. I don't like it, so avoid it when I can. This chapter is to give some insight as to what happened in the past. I cried at one point, but that might be because I'm emotional. Sorry. Thanks for all the views so far, over 500 last I checked. I got a review asking me for LewVi love. That's what I'm going to head for starting soon, but if someone wants to see something else, I might be able to whip up a one shot or so outside of this story for you~! Tell me what you think!**

3 hours and 30 minutes stuck in the van, with little sleep, left Arthur feeling grumpy when he finally pulled up to the little house. Vivi's parents were waiting on the porch, smiling happily when the van was parked. Vivi's dad stood at 6'2", meaning he had to duck a little when he passed through the door frame. Vivi's father was fit for his age, but that was to be expected of him. Vivi's dad was a detective after all. He had short blonde hair, lined with greys from years of stressful work. His eyes were brown and slightly sunken, but his eyes still held a sense of childish wonder, he seemed years younger. Vivi's mom was 5'3", almost a complete foot shorter than her father. She had a very petite figure. She had long black hair that was naturally straight, and beautiful, sapphire eyes. Her mother worked as a horror novelist, particularly good at writing out the graphic details in character deaths.

It was pretty obvious what she inherited from them. Before Vivi had dyed her hair, it was straight like her mother's, but blonde like her father's. She got her mother's eyes, but the childish twinkle that her father had. Her love of mysteries from her dad, her love of horror from her mom, and a sense of adventure from both of them. She was built like her mom, but was lucky to be taller at 5'6" thanks to her dad. It was easy to see they were related.

Arthur got out of the van and opened the trunk. Vivi's dad came off the porch and helped him carry in all the luggage. Once the van was empty, Vivi's dad returned and opened the back door, then carefully scooped the girl into his arms and carried her inside. Vivi's mom placed her hands together and smiled cheerfully.

"It's been way too long," She said softly, barely above a whisper.

"Vivi was so excited to come home," Arthur said happily. "It's good to be back in our home town. Is it really okay for me to stay tonight, Mrs. Liberto?" Vivi's mom smiled softly, then softly pat his back.

"Can you not call me Jackie?" She asked softly. "I feel so old every time you call me Mrs. Liberto. Yes, I insist that you stay in the guest room tonight. You've been traveling for so long, and you need your rest." She looked up as her husband entered the room. "How's our little Vivian doing, Micheal?"

"She'll be more responsive in a few hours," He stated jokingly. "We've got to make sure we've got coffee made, or we'll be in big trouble." He chuckled softly and looked over to Arthur. "You should get to bed boy. If those bags under your eyes get any bigger, you'll be able to pack your tools in them." Mrs. Liberto nudged him gently.

"That wasn't very funny," She insisted, shaking her head slowly. "But he is right. Get to bed Arthur."

"I'll do it once I get Mystery," He complied. "He must be asleep. He hasn't hopped out yet." Arthur slipped back outside and opened the front door to the van. He was surprised to see the little dog was missing from the front seat. He pulled away from the van and looked around in the dark. "Mystery? Where are you buddy?" He heard a faint growl from inside the van, and opened the back door. He saw Mystery sitting in the backseat, gnawing on the seat where the seat belt buckles came out. "Mystery no! NO!" Arthur shouted as he swatted the little dog's butt. He let out a small whimper and scurried out the door. "What has gotten into you? You've never chewed on the van before… Maybe I should take you to the vet tomorrow…" Arthur sighed loudly and walked back into the house, holding the door open for the little dog.

Vivi's parents' house was pretty good sized. It came with three bedrooms, a study, a fully stocked kitchen, and a large family room with a wide screen T.V. The house was two stories. The study, living room, kitchen, and guest bedroom were all located downstairs along with a bathroom. Upstairs you could find the master bedroom, Vivi's room, and an additional bathroom. Arthur knew going upstairs to see Vivi was off limits, so wasting no time, he walked through the house to the spare bedroom and laid down. He didn't even bother pulling the blanket over himself before falling asleep.

_There was an amusement park…abandoned in the woods… Inside the amusement park was a haunted house attraction, one that was supposed to be powered down, but all the lights were on… He looked at the door…_

_ "__Go inside Arthur," A voice beckoned him, "Go inside. Vivi is probably in there. You know how she loves these things. Go inside Arthur." He wearily reached out his hand and took the door handle._

_ "__I-I hate these things," He mumbled softly, his hand shaking, "I don't want to go inside…"_

_ "__Go inside Arthur," The voice continued, low and dark in his ear. "You can't keep her waiting anymore."_

_Something about this was familiar… Something about this dream… It felt like a distant memory..._

_ "__Where's Mystery?" Arthur questioned, looking around for the owner of the disembodied voice. "He's not by my side, so he must be by Vivi's. He would never let her go in here alone." He heard a low laugh from behind him. It seemed to echo in his ears, getting steadily louder._

_ "__Of course Mystery wouldn't let her go in alone," The voice stated, though it seemed to mock Arthur. "But sometimes…Mystery doesn't have a choice in the matter."_

_ "__What did you do to Mystery?" Arthur yelped softly, defensively._

_ "__He'll be fine," The voice replied smoothly, though a low growl was starting to rise from it. "But let me lay this down for you…" It growled louder, making Arthur tremble. "If you don't go inside… Vivi will never… NEVER come out again." Arthur grit his teeth and looked around._

_ "__Don't you DARE hurt HER!" Arthur almost shouted as he grabbed the doorknob and pulled it open. "VIVI!"_

Arthur bolted upright in bed, looking around frantically. He climbed to his feet and ran into the living room, his heart beating wildly. The blue haired girl was sitting on the sofa, watching an early morning showing of 'Psycho' with a bowl of chips in her hand. There was a cup of steaming coffee on the table in front of her, and she had changed into her favorite night gown. The gown was a light blue, the same as her favorite sweater, but was also covered with several small polka dots. The gown had spaghetti straps and a sweet heart neck line, and it flattered Vivi's form perfectly. Arthur made himself look away before she looked up and noticed him.

"Good afternoon sleepy head," She mumbled softly. "It's almost noon…" She leaned back and yawned softly. "My parents are asleep, so I'm pretty bored." She smiled tiredly and patted the couch beside her. "But… Since my parents are out cold… It gives us a chance to talk alone…." Arthur felt his heart leap into his throat. _I didn't think we'd have to talk about it so soon…_

"Wh-What do you… What do you want me to say…?" He asked her slowly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Arthur, all I want is the tr-" Vivi was interrupted by her dad's large frame coming into the room, smacking his head against the arch. He grumbled loudly and looked over at the two kids.

"You two are up?" He asked, disbelief in his voice. "Well, I guess it's a good thing. I've been wanting to talk to you about a case I've been handed recently. If your mother was up, she'd insist that I-" He was cut off two by Mrs. Liberto stepping into the archway, tapping her foot slowly.

"Dear… We talked about this…" She said in a low, warning voice. For some reason, the large man seemed small when his wife was angry at him. "We will not have this kind of discussion until my birthday is over." She then shifted her attention over to Arthur, a weak smile on her face. "I'm sorry dear…but your mother called." _Great. Just great. Now I'm going to have to deal with me mom? I'm not ready for this…_

"What did she have to say?" He questioned.

"She says she's coming to pick you up." Vivi's mom stated bluntly. "I made her promise to bring you back for my birthday party around 6, but otherwise, there was no negotiating with her. She wants to talk to you." Arthur tiled his head back and moaned.

"She's going to freak out when she sees me," He grumbled unhappily. Since he'd driven all night and fell asleep immediately the night before, his shirt sleeve was now covered in dried fake blood.

"Get a jacket," Vivi said softly. "You know how stubborn your mom can be though…"

"My oh my, yes," Mrs. Liberto added. "I do recall an event that happened when you two were in high school together. You had to sneak out of the house to come trick-or-treating with Vivi, since your mom had refused to allow you out. She was so afraid something would happen to you." Arthur shrugged his shoulder and slouched in his chair.

"It's because she was absolutely convinced that a random stranger was going to kidnap me," Arthur grumbled softly. _I see where she's coming from… Kidnapping a kid like me can make someone's day, but I doubt they'd figure me to be a Hunicutt. Not since I dyed my hair._ Arthur let out another groan as he heard a car pull up outside of the house. He slowly rose to his feet and extended his arms to receive a hug from Vivi. "Wish me luck…" He said softly.

"Luck." Vivi stated softly and smiled. "My mom wants to eat somewhere fancy tonight, so if you can find a suit to wear, that'd be awesome. If not…find something nice, okay?" Vivi giggled softly as Arthur cringed. He despised getting dressed up, since he could never tie a tie right by himself. Arthur started to respond, when there was a loud knock at the door.

"Arthur?" came a shaken woman's voice from the other side. "Arthur honey? Come outside! I've missed you!" Arthur sighed and scooped up Mystery in his arms. He walked to the door carefully and opened it, holding the dog in front of him to keep his mother from putting her arms around him. "You've gotten taller!" She exclaimed loudly, her arms still out to the side, waiting to hug him when she had the chance.

Arthur's mother was only a few inches shorter than him, but her heels made her equal to him in height. She was a rounded woman, with a chubby face. Her black hair was tied up in a complicated, rounded braid. According to Arthur, it looked like she braded her hair and coiled it on top of her head, and he was not a fan of it. She had lime green eyes that shone like emeralds, but Arthur knew this was because of some colored contacts she was wearing. The real color resembled dollar bills more than anything else. She was wearing her own version of the Black Diamond Dress, which was sized more to her and had a shorter skirt. Unlike the real dress, she had it laced with emeralds. She was wearing heavy makeup, the kind that smeared onto napkins and shirts, including a distasteful red lipstick. She had numerous rings on her fingers, and a solid cold necklace.

His mom was never afraid to walk out wearing an outfit that cost thousands of dollars, no matter what the occasion was. Arthur loathed it.

"Why are you here?" Arthur asked, keeping Mystery in front of him like a shield.

"Is it wrong that I missed my little Arthy-poo?" She interrogated back, faking disdain in her voice. "I just want to spend some time with my son while he's in town." Arthur clenched his fists around the dog, earning a small whimper from him.

"You never just wanted to see me before," Arthur grumbled bitterly. He looked over his shoulder and saw Vivi, her eyes shining with concern. "Let's finish this conversation in the car." He slid pass the woman and raised his voice. "I promise to be here at 5:30." He walked outside quickly, easily spotting the black limousine, and crawled into the back seat. He released Mystery and let him go back to Vivi, and scooted over to the far side when his mother got in.

"Take us home Richard," She instructed the driver as she shut the door. The limo pulled away, and Arthur glanced out the window long enough to be able to see Vivi standing on the porch, waving goodbye. "Arthur honey," His mom prompted sternly. "We have to have a discussion about your future."

"There is nothing to talk about," Arthur snapped at her. _She tries to have this conversation every time! I don't want to hear this anymore!_ "I want to travel the country with Vivi and solve mysteries! When we retire, I want to start a mechanic shop and work on old cars until I die. I do NOT want to follow in my dad's footsteps, so no matter what you say, I'm NOT changing my mind." Arthur crossed his arms and glared out the window, waiting for his mom to reply. Instead, the limo fell into silence.

No one talked until they got to the estate. The large building had four floors, dozens of rooms, and at least a hundred servants walking down the halls. Arthur hated it. When the limo came to a stop, he hastily got out of the car and rushed through the front door. The first thing he saw were dozens of photos lining the entry room. He looked up at the small looking boy with brown curly hair, who seemed frightening in a lot of his younger pictures. He bit his lip and slowly looked from picture to picture.

The boy he saw didn't smile in a lot of the pictures. He lowered his head and looked to the floor, frowning softly as if he was in trouble. The pictures aged slowly, the boy's brown hair slowly getting darker and darker, until it was completely black. His eyes were colored amber, a very unique color he had inherited from his father, but they seemed very dull. He could see the bashfulness and loneliness oozing out of the boy.

Arthur couldn't stand these pictures either.

He took off up a stair case, practically ran down a hallway, before coming to his room. He opened the door, and was surprised to find it was nearly untouched since the last time he was in it. There was a grand bed, with fine silk linens, blankets, and pillow cases waiting for him. The walls were lined with bookshelves, aside from a small space where a desk was pressed against the wall. On the desk, laid several spare parts and tools, most broken and bent from overuse. There was another door to the room, which he knew lead into a large walk in closet, with designer clothing from all over the world. He felt his fists clench as he stepped into the room.

Ever since he was small, he'd always thought of this place as a prison.

Arthur looked around the room, his initial rage from earlier subsiding, and found his eyes falling onto a bright red book on one of the top shelves. Arthur walked over to it and took the book down, wiping away the dust before opening it. The pages were lined with photos of him when he was small, all kinds of pictures taken with him in various outfits, with various toys, doing various things. They really didn't interest him, since they all showed how alone he felt at the time. He flipped through the pages slowly, until he finally found one he liked.

It was a picture of him and Vivi. They were standing on a bench in the park, holding hands. Arthur smiled softly as he brushed his fingers over the picture, memories flooding into his mind. This was the first time he'd ever met Vivi, before they were in the same class, and even before they knew each other's names. Arthur smiled as he recalled that day.

The teachers helped them off the buses, assigning students together in groups of two for safety reasons. Arthur was assigned to be partnered up with Vivi. He had never seen her before in his life, and he honestly didn't like her. She sang loudly on the bus, then told scary stories that made him want to cry. Now, he had to be paired with her. How awful was that? Arthur got his backpack, while the girl waiting impatiently for him.

"Move faster," She said insistently. "I wanna get on the merry-go-round!" She bounced up and down excited, waiting for him to finish. He looked over to her and sighed gently.

"Go ahead," He mumbled softly. "I'll join you in a second." The girl stared at him intently for a moment, before running off. Arthur adjusted his backpack and decided to walk in the opposite direction. He wasn't used to playing with the other kids. His parents didn't like it. According to them, it was 'A waste of time to be in school if you didn't spend your time learning.' Arthur walked to the edge of the playground and found a tree to sit under. He took a book on mechanical engineering, one that should've been far over his reading level, and began to study from it. He started to drone out the noise from the other kids, focusing only on his book. _They don't need me around… They probably don't want me around. In fact… If I disappeared, they wouldn't care… I doubt if anyone even knows my name._ He let his thoughts float away as he dived into the book, hoping the day would end quickly.

That's when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see blue eyes staring into his.

"Why are you sitting here all alone?" Vivi asked in a sweet little voice. Arthur blushed, seeing how close she was, and looked away from her.

"I wanted… I wanted to study…" He mumbled gently, looking away from her.

"Study huh?" the girl questioned. "It's the last day of school. We don't have any tests to study for… What are you studying for?" Arthur tried to keep his head down and avoid eye contact.

"I wanted to study mechanics…" He whispered softly. "I want to be a mechanic someday… So I wanted to start studying now…" He looked up at her and waved his hand. "So go back… I like quiet when I study, so leave me alone." The words ached in his chest. He didn't want to be alone, but he was too nervous to play around the other kids. He started to sink back into his book, when he heard someone grunt next to him. He turned his head to see that the girl was sitting beside him, looking over his shoulder.

"I'll be quiet," She said softly. "But I'm not leaving you alone. The teachers made me your buddy for today, and as your buddy, I refuse to let you be all by yourself. What would we do if you went missing?" She smiled goofily, showing a missing front tooth, and continued to look at his book. Arthur felt his heart start to pound in his chest, feeling nervous just sitting next to her. He slowly returned his attention to the book.

"Okay then…" He consented. He tried to read, but her presence made him feel embarrassed. _She must think I'm weird… I bet she's actually mad and wants to go play… She's only doing this because the teachers put us together._ He sighed loudly and started to turn the page, when he felt the girl lean against him. He felt his cheeks burn as he looked over at the girl, who had somehow fallen asleep. Her eyes were closed, revealing long black eye lashes, and her mouth was slightly open. He felt his heart flutter. _She… She's bored…so she fell asleep… She fell asleep…instead of leaving to go play… She could be having a lot of fun…but instead…she's right next to me… and she doesn't…she doesn't even look a little mad about it._ Arthur felt his heart quiver as he closed the book and put it up. _What am I thinking…?_ He slowly shook the girl by her shoulder and woke her up.

"Huh?" She moaned tiredly, then started to rub her eyes. "Is it already time to leave?" She yawned loudly and stretched her arms above her head. Arthur felt like his face was on fire, as he spoke in a really small voice.

"N-No… I… I wanna go play… I wanna p-play a g-game with you." The girl took a moment to process this, before leaping to her feet and taking his hand.

"Let's play then!" She all but shouted as she pulled him along.

The picture had been taken when they were about to leave by a teacher. Arthur smiled as he looked over the two dorky kids. The boy's hair was a mess, his curls somewhat matted with dust, and his face was grubby. The white shirt he had worn that day was stained by grass and mud, his black pants covered in odd fibers, and his shoes scuffed up badly. He had a little dried blood on his nose and his right sleeve from when he fell minutes before. The girl wasn't any better. Her hair, which had been in pretty pigtails, had come out and started to frizz. Her face was covered in dust, and she had some grass in her teeth. The light blue dress she was wearing had spots of mud, grass, and even blood, while her panty hose had holes in the knees. She had scrapes up and down her arms, a thin scratch on her chin, and even a little blood on her teeth from biting her tongue at some point. They were both grinning happily at the camera, as if they didn't have a care in the world.

"Oh Vivi…" Arthur muttered as he slowly turned the page. Inside, the pictures leaped in age, to where Arthur was in junior high. He and Vivi had met again when they had become a part of the same club. Vivi didn't remember the meeting in fourth grade, but Arthur did. It made him even more nervous when he had seen her again in junior high. Her nature hadn't changed at all, which made it easier for Arthur to like her. Arthur flipped through the pages slowly, looking at all the pictures of him and Vivi together, or of him getting embarrassed by Vivi. There was something about her genuine, kind nature that drew him to her. He turned the page again, and stopped when he found a picture with three kids, instead of two. Arthur's stomach dropped when he saw the Italian face staring back at him.

Lewis.

Arthur bit his lip as he remembered his best friend, and how they had met.

Arthur had been very smart. His grades were always the best in class. Unfortunately, this made him disliked by students who weren't as academically inclined. Putting it simply, he was bullied. He was having a very bad day. Arthur came out of his fifth hour class, clutching his books to his chest. He started to walk to his locker, when a foot extended out and tripped him. He dropped all his books and papers to keep himself from face planting on the floor.

"Oh my, you're such a klutz," came a snide woman's voice. Arthur glanced up to see a girl wearing a cheerleading uniform, a cruel smile on her face. "You should watch where you're going, or you're going to get hurt." _What did I do…? What did I ever say to be tripped…? I've never even spoken to you… _Arthur came up to his knees and started to pick up his books. He gathered a few in his arms and reached out for another, when a boot came down on his fingers hard. Arthur yelped and pulled them back as quickly as he could, blowing on his fingers lightly.

"Oops, didn't see you there." A voice erupted above him. "You should be more careful." Arthur glanced up to see a boy dressed in black. It was one of the guys in his class that was on the verge of flunking out. _Is he mad at me…? What did I do…? I only have one class with him…only one class…and are several rows apart… Did I say something wrong?_ Arthur looked down again and hurriedly gathered his things and went to his locker. He had to carefully slide through a large group of girls to get through it, and he overheard their conversation as he switched around his books.

"God he's such a freak," One girl said loudly.

"A good for nothing push over," Another said.

"Just cause he's got good grades, he thinks he's too good to talk anyone." The first said.

"He absolutely stinks." A third voice chimed.

"He smells like my dad's old car," the second said loudly.

"And he can't even speak normally." The first spoke. "You should hear him speak in class."

"He sounds like a whining little child." The third agreed.

"I wonder if he's even a guy at all." The second added. Arthur closed his locker door and walked back through them, without saying a word. _I'm not a freak… I don't mean to be a push over… I study hard…that's not a bad thing…is it…? I don't stink… I have a stuttering problem…so what…? I'm still human… I'm still worth something…aren't I? Am I… Am I really so hated…? Why must I hurt so much?_ Arthur walked to his gym class, a single book for reading in hand. He walked into the locker room and started to change, when he felt hands on his shoulders. He was pushed forward against a wall, then twisted around to face the attacker.

"You're such a klutz," He said in a sharp voice. "You just keep running into things." He shoved Arthur back against the wall, then shoved him sideways so he'd fall to the ground. _Why me?_ He almost barfed as a foot sailed into his stomach. "Geez kid, quit hurting yourself. Can't you even walk straight?" He stomped on Arthur's hand, getting a yelp out of him. _I don't even know you… Why… Why won't anyone stop him?_ Arthur looked pass him and saw that everyone else in the room was looking away, getting dressed. _Is this what I'm worth to everyone? Nothing but a punching bag for whoever feels like it?_ He felt a foot stomp into his back as he searched around for a face.

"Don't take all the fun," Another voice chimed as he felt hands grab onto his shoulders. He was pulled to his feet and shoved by another tall boy. He was caught by another set of hands and shoved. "Let's play pass the freak!" Just like that, he was being shoved back and forth between several people.

"Isn't this fun?" He heard a voice say through laughter. His eyes tried to focus on someone, anyone, who would stop them. He started feeling nauseous. _Someone stop them please! Someone help!_

"S-S-Someone h-help!" He yelped loudly. He saw a flash of purple in his vision, as he eyes caught ahold of someone walking by. It was a boy with purple hair. This really stood out to Arthur. He had purple hair and violet colored eyes. He was wearing a purple vest on top of a white shirt, purple slacks, and matching boots. He was even wearing a purple neck tie. He saw Arthur. Their eyes locked for a brief second. _Please help me!_ The guy looked to Arthur, frowned, and then walked away back towards the stalls. Arthur felt his eyes water as he was shoved around more.

"Boys! Clear the locker rooms!" He heard the coach shout. The guy who was supposed to catch him last slipped away and let Arthur smack into the floor. Arthur stared up at the season and breathed slowly, the world still spinning as people fanned out.

"Same time tomorrow dork?" A cruel voice asked before the lights went off and door shut. Arthur slowly sat up and started to sob. _Is this what I am…? Is this what I'm supposed to be…?_ Arthur hiccupped softly, and slowly reached into his bag. He found what he was looking for with ease, and slowly eased himself into a corner.

"Why...?" He asked the open air, tears clouding his vision. "Why me…? What… What did I ever do to deserve…to deserve hurting so much…?" Arthur removed his wristbands and set them on the floor beside him. Several thin, white scars covered both wrists, some looking newer than others. "I…I want relief… I just want…to feel better…" He mumbled as he held the razor blade in his hand. He lifted his wrist up to get a better look at it, and slowly pressed the blade to his skin.

It stung when it bit into his skin, and blood started to pour down his wrist. Arthur set down the blade and squeezed the wound, making it bleed more. He tilted his head back as a sense of liberation fell over him. "Why…do I have…to hurt so much…?" Arthur closed his eyes as he squeezed his wrist harder. _I want to feel better._

The silence was broken by a loud voice.

"What the hell are you doing?" Came a sharp shout, then the lights came on. Arthur opened his eyes and saw the boy from before, with purple hair, standing across the room. His eyes were wide when he saw what it was Arthur had done. "What the hell man?!" His face showed disappointment and anger. Arthur looked at him and smiled bitterly. He climbed to his feet and put away the blade. He walked over to the nearby sink and started washing his wrist. "Are you not going to say something?" the boy asked, an Italian accent in his voice. "Why the hell would you do that to yourself?" He came up to Arthur and grabbed his wrist, just above the cut, and jerked it up. "This is the worst thing you can do to yourself! Are you stupid?!" Arthur looked up at him, though he felt numb. He pulled his arm away, then wrapped it up in a paper towel.

"It doesn't matter." Arthur said plainly.

"It does matter!" The guy shouted. "Don't you care about yourself at all?! What about the people around you?!" Arthur grit his teeth, his anger boiling in a flash.

"FUCK OFF!" He shouted, as he sent his good hand into the guy's face. He felt his whole body start to tremble as tears welled up in his eyes. "I don't care! I don't care anymore! All I ever do is try to make it through day to day and make good grades! I get picked on by people I don't even know! I get laughed at and mocked daily! My parents don't care as long as I'm not in their hair! I hurt every day! Every day!"

"But there are still people who care!" the guy shouted, rubbing his face.

"BULL SHIT!" Arthur shouted at him. "If ANYONE cared, then SOMEONE would stop THEM from hurting ME! YOU JUST TURNED YOUR HEAD! DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME THAT PEOPLE CARE!" Arthur stormed out of the bathroom, leaving the purple haired guy alone.

Later that day, Arthur was left alone in the club room. Vivi had to go home early, so now he was completely alone. He started working on a camera, modifying its speed so it would be able to capture high speed images. He almost didn't notice the door open to the room. He recognized the voice though.

"Hey there klutz," came a cruel voice, one who'd beaten up on him earlier. He came into the room with some of his friends. Arthur was cornered easily, outnumbered and outmatched. "I'm actually not here to play with you today. My friends and I just wanted to give you our homework to do tonight."  
>"Yeah, our homework," one of the boys chimed in.<p>

"Get it done, or we'll come and play 'catch' again," The first one started. Several papers were forced into Arthur's hands, and the three boys laughed cruelly at him.

"Think you can handle it nerd?" asked a third voice. Arthur stared blankly for a moment, then clutched the papers at the top.

"Play 'catch'?" Arthur questioned bitterly. "Go ahead." He tore the papers in half, then started tearing the halves in half. "I might as well be dead anyway, so why don't you just get it over with?" Arthur tore the quarters in half one more time before throwing the paper in the air like confetti. He spread his arms out and closed his eyes. _I'm tired of living with the pain anyway._

He expected to be hit. He expected to be beat on until he couldn't stand, but the hit never came. Arthur heard a loud bang in front of him, and opened his eyes to see one of the three guys face down on the floor. A tall figure had the second guy under his arm, and the third grabbed by his collar. Arthur watched, dumbstruck, as the larger new guy beat on the other three until he was the only one standing. He blinked, unsure of how to process it, when the purple haired guy from before came up to him. He stared down at Arthur, his hair covering his eyes, so Arthur couldn't tell what he was thinking. Arthur felt himself start to shake as he cowered a little in front of this guy. Arthur watched as he raised his hands up, then shut his eyes tightly.

Then he felt a hand pet his head, while the other pulled him away from the wall. Arthur opened his eyes to see that the giant had leaned down, coming more to his level, and was looking into his eyes. Arthur felt nervous, as he always did when someone was close to him, and tried to look away, when the boy spoke.

"You are not worthless." He said soothingly. Arthur's heart began to ache.

"W-What are yo-?" He started to ask, when he was interrupted.

"You are not stupid." He continued to look into Arthur's eyes, determination shining in his own. "You are not hated. You are not useless. No, you're not. You're very intelligent. You're kind and shy, but there's nothing wrong with that. You don't deserve to feel pain, and you deserve to feel happy." He slowly put his other hand on Arthur's remaining elbow, then squeezed both of them slowly.

"I-I…"

"Even if you think no one else does," He continued, staring more intently. "I care about you." Arthur felt every wall he had built around his emotions come crashing down at once. He started crying silently, unable to form words. "I don't ever want to see you hurt yourself again. Do you understand me?" Arthur simply nodded, but this wasn't good enough. "I want you to promise me… Promise me you won't ever hurt yourself again." Arthur took a long time to manage the words, and when he did, they came out very softly.

"I promise…" He whispered. The purple haired boy smiled and gently pat Arthur's back.

"There… That wasn't so bad…" He assured, smiling warmly. He then brought his hand down in front of Arthur, and held it in front of him. "My name is Lewis. Lewis Armando Raffaele Cristiano Vincente." Arthur looked at the large hand that was extended out to him, and took it very slowly.

"M-My name is…is Arthur Hunicutt…" Arthur said softly, shaking his hand slowly. "I-Is there… Is there a-a chance…th-that we…c-can k-k-keep that…that detail…b-between us?" Lewis glanced up for a moment, a light pout coming across his face as he thought about it.

"Well…a secret that big is gonna cost you…" He mumbled slowly. Arthur felt himself get nervous, when the big guy looked at him and smiled. "You've got to be my friend from now on. If you do that, then I'll keep it to myself." Arthur felt his eyes start to burn, on the brink of tears again.

"I think I can handle that…"


	16. Dress Up

**~.~**

**Note from Author:**

**I got to thinking about Vivi and Arthur, and a lot of questions popped into my head. Some of these will be brought up, so this chapter is mostly meant to bring them to your attention too. Am I doing good at implying some of these points? I'll make them blatantly clear in later chapters. Thanks for the views and reviews, and for all the favorites and follows! It makes me so happy, I can't even begin to get it across. As always, I'd love to get your opinions on how the work is going. P.S., thank you so much for the compliment on my characterization of Lewis. You know who you are~! You don't know how much that made my day! Enjoy this chapter everyone.**

Arthur looked down at the picture, feeling tears form and fall as he went over the image. The picture was of Arthur, Vivi, and Lewis all sitting together at a café booth. After that incident, he invited Lewis to come meet Vivi at their favorite café. It was an adorable gothic themed restaurant, one that allowed the waitresses to cosplay to promote business. Vivi loved it. In the picture, Arthur was sitting to the left, Vivi in the middle, and Lewis on the right. Lewis had thrown his arm over Vivi, and Arthur did the same, while Vivi held the camera far out in front of them to snap the picture. Arthur had his bad wrist hidden under the table, with a goofy and nervous looking smile on his face. Vivi was sticking her tongue out at the camera, while Lewis was scratching the back of his head. He also had a shy blush across his cheeks. They were all so happy in that picture. Arthur swallowed hard as he pulled the picture from its place and slid it into his pocket.

He turned his head when he heard a soft knock at the door. He saw his mother standing in the frame, a concerned look on her face.

"Arthur honey…" She said softly. He didn't respond to her. Instead, he simply closed the album and pushed it away from himself. "Fine… You don't have to talk… Just listen." Arthur looked back to his mom, waiting for the lecture solemnly. "… I'm sorry Arthur." He jolted when he heard that escape her lips.

"W-Wah?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"I'm sorry Arthur," His mom said insistently. "Listen… I am not the perfect parent… I know I'm not… When you were a young child, I always bought you toys instead of sitting down and spending time with you…yet I was so worried of you getting hurt, that I didn't let you leave the house…" His mom decided to sit down on Arthur's old bed, apparently tired of standing up. "I know… I know you had such a difficult time making friends…and it wasn't your fault. I kept you from learning how to interact socially…and when you did make friends, I made it hard for you to see them." Arthur started rubbing his arm.

"Where did this come from?" He questioned her slowly. He kept his eyes focused on the floor in front of her, a little too embarrassed to look at her directly.

"After…After you left here the last time…" His mother continued. "We had… We had a bad fight… I was so worried about you going out into the world and getting hurt again…after you lost your arm and almost lost your life…that I didn't consider what you were feeling… I never realized…how trapped you felt here…" Arthur slowly looked up at his mother, and noticed for the first time the grey hairs that lined her hair. Her face, despite the makeup, showed wrinkles and worry lines that aged her. Arthur had never noticed this before. "Your father was such a free spirit…" His mom continued, looking up towards the ceiling.

"Mom, you don't have t-"

"Hush now." She commanded. "If I don't get it all out at once, it'll plague me. Your father enjoyed his life… He loved every aspect of it and found beauty in every detail. I loved that man with all my heart… After we got married, he shifted his focus to take care of us." She waved her hand around the room. "He did an amazing job at it with that company of his. Everyone told him how he'd fail, but he pressed through and made it a reality. Now we're swimming in more money than we could ever spend. We were supposed to have a luxurious life together as a family!" His mom started to cry softly, becoming overwhelmed. He got up from where he was sitting and slowly approached his mom. He sat down beside her and slowly stretched his right arm up, and then pat her back softly.

"Don't cry…" Arthur spoke softly, trying to be soothing. "Don't be so hard on yourself…"

"It's just… It's not fair." She sputtered gently, then searched her pockets for a handkerchief. "One ignorant parent…who wasn't watching their child… He was such a good man…without a seconds thought on what would happen to him, he forced the car off the road to avoid hitting that child…" She sniffed gently and wiped at her eyes. "I am not angry with that child…don't get me wrong… I'm just upset it had to happen… I hope that child's parents cherished every day they had to with her…because my Henry died to give that chance to them." She sniffed gently and rubbed at her eyes more, smearing her mascara.

"I didn't know…" Arthur mumbled softly. "You never really told me…" The death of Arthur's death had been kept from him, like a dark family secret. So now, hearing it told by his mother, Arthur found it hard to believe.

"O-Once he died… I was afraid of losing you too…" His mom continued, tears falling endlessly. "But… But I've made your life so hard… Can…Can…you ever forgive me…?" Arthur looked to her as she wiped away more tears. Arthur bit his lip and nodded gently.

"Of course I can…" He said slowly, before his mother pulled him into a hug. If this was a normal hug, it would've been fine. His mom didn't give normal hugs. She gave hugs that threatened to suffocate you. Arthur grunted softly when the arms locked around him, then wheezed softly as he began feeling constricted.

"Mom…Air…Need…air…" He choked softly. She let go and gave a slightly embarrassed smile.

"Sorry hon…" She wiped at her eyes again and smiled more. "I wanted to tell you today that you don't have to worry about your finances on the road anymore." Arthur's mom had cut him away from the money the instant he joined the Mystery Skulls after high school. She had given him an ultimatum, and he chose a poor life on the road with his friends than a life of luxury with his mom. Arthur looked to her and raised an eyebrow.

"Who are you? And what have you done with my mother?" He asked accusingly. His mother laughed weakly and held up an envelope.

"I mean it." She assured him and forced it into his hand. "This is for you and your friends. I want you to tell them it's a thank you present for being so good to you." Arthur bit his bottom lip and slid it into his pocket. He was pretty sure he knew what was inside, but he didn't want to look at it.

"I don't know what to say…" Arthur mumbled softly, looking back to his mom. She however, was not looking at him. She walked to his closet and opened the door. She slipped inside, and Arthur groaned as he heard her going through his things.

"You should get in the shower," She instructed him, before appearing with a black suit in her hand. "You have a party to go to, and I will not have you leaving here looking like a bum."

"Wait a second…" Arthur stated quickly, glancing over his shoulder. "How did you know I was coming back into town?" His mom smiled sheepishly and looked aside.

"My brother told me you would," She mumbled softly. Arthur groaned and started heading towards the bathroom. _Uncle Lance, you have lost my trust… I gave you that information in confidence…_ Arthur smiled weakly and got showered up.

Vivi was stuck at home with her parents. Normally her parents are pretty easy going, but after being gone for so long, they were clinging to Vivi. It was too much for the blue girl, so when the opportunity arose, she escaped to her room and locked the door behind her. She heard a small whimper from Mystery when her parents switched their attention to him, feigning betrayal, but stayed in her room anyway. It'd been a while since she was in her own room, so everything felt foreign to her. Her walls were white, but they were lined with posters and drawings from corner to corner. She had a nice bed by the window. The sheets were straight teal, while the actually blanket and pillow were sapphire blue. The blanket had bright purple polka dots on one side though, in case she got bored of it. She had a black desk with a computer in the middle. The desk was lined with several old papers, some old homework assignments while others were just mindless notes. She had a large closet, lined with clothing and shoes she hadn't seen in years, and a dresser with a couple of dolls on it.

The dolls were Vivi's favorite. The dolls had wide eyes that stared at nothing, and appeared to be hollow. The first doll had wide brown eyes, with an oversized tear drop on its cheek. It had long blonde hair that came to its mid back, and wore what looked like a burlap sack. This doll was once sold in stores everywhere labeled as 'Little Miss No Name'. The doll was supposedly an orphan baby that children adopted, but it was discontinued due to its sad, longing face that frightened children. Vivi loved creepy little dolls. The next doll was called the 'Laugh A Lot Doll'. A redheaded doll with its eyes closed and mouth permanently fixed in a twisted smile. It wore a red dress with a white puff in the middle, and had long striped sleeves. This doll was discontinued because of the creepy commercial made for it. Vivi had always loved creepy things, so shortly after she learned of their existence, she managed to buy them off the internet.

Vivi smiled and made her way to her computer, turning it on and looking through old files. She came across a bunch of pictures of her and Arthur, starting from when they met in junior high. She could help by smile as she went through the pictures slowly. There were a few with Arthur when he had his curly brown hair. The hair steadily got darker until it turned black, then almost suddenly his hair became the spiked up blonde mass that it was today. _Is he ever going to get it right?_ Vivi giggled softly when she pictured an awkward Arthur when he first came to school with that bad dye job. She continued to go through the pictures, laughing on occasion when she came across a goofier one. She finally got to the end of them, when she had her arm around his shoulder. He was wearing a black graduation gown, and holding a diploma in his hand.

"We used to be so close…" Vivi mumbled softly. "Even if you were a scaredy cat, you used to tell me everything. You used to trust me… You even told me of your valium prescription for anxiety for Pete's sake! You told me how your mom never wanted you to go anywhere. How you wanted nothing more than to see the world and learn how to face your fear…" Vivi sighed softly and shook her head. "Now you won't tell me when you're scared… You won't tell me how you think certain jobs are bad ideas… You won't tell me when you've had nightmares, or what they're about when I ask you… You won't even tell me what's bothering you so much…" Vivi pouted at the computer screen and stared at the old picture. _This is ridiculous… I'm talking to a stupid picture…_

She sat back in her chair and sighed loudly. _He promised to tell me… He promised to tell me soon… I just need a moment alone with him… That's all… I need to get him alone…_ She noticed the time and got to her feet, then quickly went to her closet. There was a formal dinner party that she had to go to, and her mom would never forgive her if she didn't pick a nice dress.

Deep in her closet, she found a beautiful Victorian, gothic dress with tiered ruffles. It was stain, and had a brocade corset. The material was soft and comfortable to touch. It had a poly lace up bodice that was meant to shape the body well, and it was colored black and blue. It even had a black choker with a blue rose on it. Vivi thought the dress was beautiful, but she couldn't remember for the life of her when she had ever worn it. She got undressed and slipped on a pair of black panty hose, before pulling the dress up around her chest. She walked to her door, supporting the dress with one hand, and cracked the door with the other. "Mom~!" She shouted gently. "Can you help me with this dress?"

Her mom flew in the room before Vivi had a chance to step back, a wide smile crossing her face.

"I was hoping you'd pick this one," Her mom said happily, slipping behind her to grab the strings on the corset. "It's been my favorite dress since you wore it for prom!" Vivi smiled gently and held still while her mom laced the dress up.

"I don't remember wearing this to prom…" Vivi mumbled gently. Her mother looked at her and sighed gently.

"You can be such an airhead Vivian…" Her mother stated, just before she pulled on the strings and made it impossible for Vivi to answer. Vivi threw her hands up and tugged at the dress.

"Not so tight mom!" She all but shouted when she did manage to take a breath.

"Honestly," Her mom shook her head and sighed loudly. "Of all the memories to just forget, that's a really important one. You skipped out on prom while you went to school, but then leaped at the chance to go to that boy's senior prom. You said it was the most fun you ever had dancing in public too." Her mom pulled on the corset again and slowly tied it to where it wasn't too tight, nor too loose. Vivi pulled her headband out of her hair, and started to blush.

"So Arthur got the courage to ask me?" She asked as her hair started to get in her eyes.

"Arthur?" Her mom asked, "Heavens no. You never went to prom with Arthur. I think he even went as far as to work at his uncle's shop until late the next day." Vivi spun around to face her mom, looking at her.

"So who did I go to prom with?" She asked. Her mom's face suddenly got pale, and then her cheeks started to burn.

"O-Oh wait, maybe it was Arthur you went with," She said quickly, laughing nervously.

"Oh no, don't back out of it now," Vivi pressed. "You just said he worked late at his uncle's shop. Who did I go with mom?" Mrs. Liberto slipped away from Vivi and almost ran out the door.

"I-I've got to get ready!" She shouted as she ran into her room and locked the door. Vivi stared at where her mother had been, and bit her lip. _Why the hell is Mom lying to me? She's a terrible liar… I'm not mad at that…though… Why can't I remember prom? What was the theme? Who did I go with? That's not something I'm supposed to forget until I'm WAY older! _Vivi grit her teeth and stormed into the bathroom. _So now, it's not just Arthur keeping secrets from me… Wait… Arthur… Maybe he knows…_

Arthur came up to the door nervously, feeling way too constricted in the suit. His mom had fun picking out the brightest orange tie she could manage, and took her time when it came to tying around his neck. Arthur tugged on it unhappily, detesting the way it gripped his throat, before knocking on the door. His hair was gelled and combed back against his head, which was a painful process considering his mom forced the tangles out on her own. She wasn't used to this kind of parenting, and neither was Arthur.

Now he was waiting for Vivi and her parents to come out, since they were going to be his ride. He waited nervously for 10 minutes before the door swung open.

"Sorry for the wait Artie," Vivi said happily, as she stepped out in an elegant blue and black gown. Her hair was curled elegantly on her head, her bangs carefully wrapping around her face in a halo. She was also wearing a choker with a blue rose on it, off to the side instead of dead center. She was still wearing her glasses, which broke from her initial color scheme, but complimented her eyes were well. Arthur felt his face start to burn.

"I-It's okay…" He mumbled softly, then shifted his eyes downward. Vivi watched Arthur's reaction, biting her lip. _He's never seen me in this dress before… There's no way he was my date to prom a few years ago… I was right, my mom was lying to me._ She shifted gently and started to take in Arthur's attire.

"You don't look bad yourself," She said softly, giggling when he blushed. _I've never seen him dressed up either, now that I think about it. If he dressed like that more often_, _he probably could have any girl he wanted. He's so cute._ Vivi smiled playfully at the blushing Arthur. "You should've gone to prom. I bet you could've taken someone's date." Arthur let out a nervous laugh, as he always did when he was being complimented.

"I didn't really like any of the girls at our high school though," Arthur mumbled gently.

"I'm sure you like someone Arthur," Vivi said insistently. Arthur looked away from her and rubbed his left arm softly.

"She was happily taken," He said softly, smiling gently. "It was fine though, since she looked so happy with him." _So very happy…_ Vivi leaned forward and gently pat his back.

"Oh Artie," She sighed gently. "You sound so depressed though. Did you ever tell her how you felt about her?" Arthur jolted out of Vivi's touch for a moment, his face getting red again.

"N-No way," He said quickly. "She started dating someone before I could…before I ever got the courage to even mention it, and it would've been weird if I'd said something afterwards." Arthur looked pass Vivi hurriedly and continued to speak. "Are you parents ready yet?"

"Don't change the subject Arthur!" Vivi demanded, then gently put an arm around his shoulder. Her eyes twinkled, curiosity in her eyes. "So, who was it you had a thing for?" Arthur's face flushed and he squirmed, trying to escape the blue girl's hold.

"I-It doesn't matter," He muttered quickly.

"Yes it does!" Vivi insisted. "Maybe you still have a chance with her! Who knows Arthur? Do I know her? Was it Amy? Lucy? Was it that blonde girl you became lab partners with? Oh! Tell me tell me!" She was all but bouncing, brimming with interest.

"It doesn't matter," Arthur insisted, though his tone was heavy. Vivi's bubbly mood snapped away as she saw Arthur's slightly sunken face. "She fell in love with someone else, and even if they're not together now, I wouldn't feel good about asking her out now." His shoulders slouched a little as he looked to his feet. "No two people…were better meant for each other." Vivi gently pat Arthur's back.

"Hey now…" She almost whispered. "Why are you…so sad about this? You're talking like…" _Like you're keeping something from me…_ Vivi didn't have the heart to continue her sentence. She instead continued to pat his back. "Don't be sad. You'll find the one who's meant to be your happily ever after, even if it takes time. You've got to let this girl go and open your heart up to love someone else." Arthur's eyes came back up to hers, and he opened it to speak, when Vivi's mom came out the door.

"It's time for dinner~!" She announced while posing happily. She was wearing a tight, black floor length gown, her hair up in an elegant braid. Vivi's father quickly followed, wearing a white tuxedo with a light green tie. He ducked under the door frame and shut the door behind him.

"Come on kids," Mrs. Liberto instructed as he pushed them forward. "We need to leave now to get there before our reservation is canceled. Vivi grumbled protests weakly, while Arthur consented with a nod. Arthur got into the car and sat next to Vivi, keeping quiet as her parents started talking about the restaurant. He stared out the window to avoid Vivi's eyes, trying to shake off his mood.

_It would be a better love story if I hadn't killed her boyfriend._

**~.~**

**Author Again:**

***Sniff.* I can't help it. It's so sad that Arthur can't admit his feelings towards Vivi, and even more sad that she hasn't figured it out. She can be so dense some times! Gah! This chapter is mostly meant to show my thoughts on Arthur's unrequited love for Vivi! Anyone out there who's been through this knows how badly it can hurt. Thanks for keeping up with me so far. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've gotta find some tissues. I'll be posting more chapters soon.**


	17. Confession

**~.~**

**Request from Author:**

**I took a different approach to this than what I've seen. Someone tell me how this sits with you! I know how it makes me feel, but I want to know what it does for you. It personally made my stomach turn. Feedback please! I'll even accept a short, one word response, but I really want to know what you think.**

The next day, Arthur woke up on the couch. He barely remembered the dinner, or any of the conversations they had during it. The only thing he remembered clearly was pulling off the tie and collapsing onto the couch with a full stomach. The light shining through the window made him winch. He groaned loudly and slowly began to sit up. _Why am I awake…?_ Arthur stretched and yawned loudly. He heard Mystery whining softly in the next room, and decided to investigate. He walked into the dining room and found Vivi eating breakfast, while reading a newspaper. She was wearing her favorite blue night gown with purple polka dots. Mystery was whining at her feet, his front paws gently resting on her lap as he begged, but she didn't even give the little dog a parting glance. Arthur started to back out, but accidentally bumped his metal arm against the wall.

"Good morning Arthur," Vivi mumbled tiredly, not looking up at him. She looked at the newspaper more and laid in down, then finally turned to him. "I hope you slept well." Arthur sensed the serious tone in her voice. _Why does she sound so serious…? _Arthur took a step back, but Vivi's voice made him stop. "Now don't you dare try to run from me." She climbed to her feet and stared at him. "I have some questions to ask you, and I swear to God, if you don't give me the honest truth…" Arthur felt himself pale a little.

"Vivi… What's gotten into you?" He asked slowly. Vivi put her hands on her hips.

"I couldn't sleep last night." She stated, then added bluntly. "That's all your fault Mister." She crossed the room and pointed a finger accusingly. "You promised to tell me the truth. I waited patiently all night for dinner to end and for my parents to go to bed, only to see that you passed out on the couch. I couldn't sleep at all." Arthur put up his hands as Vivi's eyes narrowed. "I demand the truth." Arthur looked into her eyes, and let out a heavy sigh.

"Not here…" He mumbled softly. She started to say something, but Arthur left the room. "Get changed, and get a leash. Let's go for a walk."

Two changes of clothes, one leash, and one long walk in silence came before they arrived at the park. Arthur kept his eyes on the ground, his shoulders slumped forward. It was noticeably colder out today, so Vivi had traded her skirt in for a pair of blue jeans. Arthur was wearing his long sleeved shirt and orange jacket over it, adding a pair of fuzzy gloves. Vivi wanted to start the conversation immediately, but she knew she had to be patient. Arthur was really good at clamming up when pressed too hard. She stared at him intently, Mystery whining softly when the air became tense.

Finally, Arthur spoke. "Ask a question, and I'll answer it." He didn't look at her as he waited for her to ask her first question. _God, where do I start? If I try the hardest one, he'll run for it. I just know it. I've got to start with something small…_

"Okay…" She said slowly, thinking about her question carefully. "Why is it that you worked at your Uncle's shop, when your family is practically rolling in cash?" Arthur glanced up at her, an eyebrow raised. _That's what she asks first? It seems random…_

"I was always fascinated with mechanics," Arthur answered. "Reading from books can only teach you so much, so I wanted hands on experience…" Vivi smiled softly. _Alright, he answered. Now I've gotta build it up slowly._

"Alright… What happened to Galaham?" Arthur gave her another confused look, but his answer came rather quickly.

"He died," Arthur said softly. "He was an old hamster, if you remember. I buried him in the back yard." _What are you playing at Vivi?_

"Sorry," Vivi mumbled softly. "Um… Okay. Why didn't you ever go to prom?" _I'm curious about that actually…_ Arthur's cheeks flushed a little.

"The girl I was going to ask got asked out…" He mumbled softly, looking to the side. _He's telling me the truth… He told me the truth on something random, on something slightly personal, and on something embarrassing. This secret can't be in any of these categories…_

"Maybe you'll be able to answer a question for me…" Vivi said softly, working up the courage herself. "Since we're on the subject… I know it's embarrassing…but… I forgot who it was I went to prom with." Vivi watched as Arthur's skin paled a little. _This is somehow connected to his big secret… I know it… That's how he acts when I ask him about it… Please answer… Please…_ Arthur started rubbing his metallic arm, his new nervous tick, Vivi had noticed.

"You… You went to prom…to prom with…" Arthur was having problems getting it out, but Vivi wasn't in the mood to show mercy.

"With who Arthur?" She pressed him.

"With…Lewis." He answered, his voice dropping when he said the name. Vivi saw the guilt in Arthur's eyes, even if he wasn't looking at her.

"I don't remember a Lewis," Vivi said slowly. "What do you know about him…?" Arthur rubbed his arm more, refusing to look up at her still.

"Lewis…" He said slowly, as if the name was foreign to him. "Lewis… His full name was Lewis Armando Raffaele Cristiano Vincente. He was 6'9" tall. He was a giant. He was a linebacker on our school football team." Vivi scoffed softly.

"I went to prom with a jock?" Vivi asked skeptically.

"He was more than that," Arthur insisted. "He was a bold guy and very confident in himself. He was born an albino. He had naturally purple eyes and white hair, but he died it purple at the beginning of junior high. It was apparently his favorite color, and he shy about showing it."

"Purple hair?" Vivi asked, a smile playing on her face. "He had to be outgoing to be able to handle it. I like confident people." She smiled playfully at Arthur, but his face looked solemn.

"You don't remember him at all, do you?" He asked slowly. Vivi bit her lip, but nodded slowly. "Okay then… Then let me tell you more." Arthur made his way to a nearby bench and sat down. "He was Italian… after school, he worked for his parents at that restaurant in town. Remember the placed called 'Pepper Paradiso'? That's the one. He liked spicy food too… He once down an entire jar of ghost peppers, without so much as flinching." Vivi stared at Arthur now. _Wait a second… This is a lot of information…_

"Were you two friends…?" She asked slowly. Arthur's head dipped down, hunching slightly.

"We were…" He mumbled gently.

"Tell me more than…" She prompted gently.

"Okay…" Arthur sighed. _Something about this Lewis guy is obviously upsetting him…_ "He liked alpacas…and the show Sailor Moon… He was in the same class as me, but he's older by a few months… He got embarrassed easily, but he was always very honest. He was protective, but despite his size he was a gentle natured person. He loved mysteries, just like you. He read a lot of mystery novels, and you two would talk for hours about books that I couldn't even pronounce. He joined the Film club because you asked him too…"

"Wait wait," Vivi said quickly. "I'm sure I would've remembered that." Arthur shook his head quickly.

"You forgot about him." Arthur stated quickly. "You shouldn't have forgotten him though. You should remember him better than me. You should know more about him than me…" His words started getting faster, more frantic sounding. "He told you things that he never dreamed of telling me."

"Arthur, slow down." Vivi said gently. "You're not making any sense." Arthur froze for a moment, then looked at Vivi intently.

"He LOVED you." Vivi looked at Arthur and sat back slowly. _He loved me…?_ "And…and you loved him too…" _I loved him too…? I don't remember anything about him… My mind is drawing a complete blank… _

"That's all impossible," Vivi said sharply, crossing her arms. "There is no way I would forget about someone who meant THAT much to me! It's like suggesting that I would forget YOU! It makes no sense." Arthur bit his lip, the next statement coming out of his mouth barely above a whisper.

"It's because you were traumatized…" Vivi looked at Arthur intently, trying to decide if he was just making things up or not.

"Traumatized…?" She asked slowly. "How?" Arthur shifted uncomfortably.

"After Lewis and I graduated high school, we worked together to earn enough money to buy an old van…" Arthur said softly, working his way around the question. "You wanted an old van since it would be a lot like Mystery Inc. You loved that show as a kid. The three of us formed the Mystery Skulls. I was the camera man and the mechanical engineer, since the van was temperamental from day one. I was the only one good at fixing up the gear, since replacing it would be so expensive to replace. You were the brains and the leader. You're brave, and you don't let your emotions cloud your reasoning, which made you perfect leader material. Lewis was the paranormal expert and brawns. He was strong enough to carry us, one on each arm, but was also smart enough to spot a fake haunting miles away. We were the perfect team… We solved every case that came our way…finding that a majority of them were nothing but fakes done by people in masks… It was perfect…until…" Vivi watched Arthur's head fall forward, his hair flopping in front of his eyes due to very little hair gel. He hid his face further by putting his hands against his face.

"Until… Until what…?" Vivi asked hesitantly. _This… It feels like this is the secret…_

"Until…the Emerald Cave case…" Arthur mumbled softly. _The Emerald Cave…? Wait, that's where Arthur lost his arm…_ "It started out normally… The four of us…Mystery included…went into the cave to explore. We followed the path until it split in two. You and Mystery went to the right, going down. Lewis and I…we went left, going up. After following the tunnel for a short while, it looked out over a large cavern, littered in spikes. Lewis walked out onto the edge to look over, and I stayed back… I was scared of heights…" Vivi strained to listen as Arthur's voice got softer. "Then… Then things started to get weird… I felt… I felt my arm go numb…my left arm…and I heard a voice in the back of my head… It… It was telling me…how easy it would be…to just push him." Vivi let out a short gasp.

"Arthur!"

"I didn't want to!" Arthur shouted, making Vivi jump. "But my arm… It moved without me controlling it… It turned green! It turned this nasty, puke green! I tried to scream! I tried to warn Lewis, but my voice would NOT work!" Arthur was starting to tremble. "I listened to the voice… I heard it tell me…how useless I was… How…How I didn't matter… How I was nothing but a nuisance to you two… I knew deep down, that's how I felt, but I thought that seeing you two so HAPPY was enough to make ME happy. That voice… That voice told me differently…"

"Y-You…"

"It told me how much better Lewis was than me… How much braver…stronger…and charismatic he was compared to me… I knew that… I knew that Vivi…but that's not what… that's not what hurt the most… I was…jealous that he had you…" Vivi's eyes widened, as she looked over at her friend.

"But you had me too," Vivi said softly.

"Not like he did…" Arthur mumbled softly. "He…He had your heart and you had his…and deep down… I was scared that…that I was going to be left behind… That voice…that DEMON…used my own jealousy and started to take me over… I lost vision in my left eye…and I felt my body move forward. I saw my hand push against the fabric of his vest…and I watched him fall…" Vivi blinked softly, full of disbelief. "He…He flipped as he fell and looked up… He saw me… I saw the betrayal on his face…He knew it was me… I heard a loud scream echo through the cave… Then…Then I felt a piercing pain go through my arm, and I fell back onto the ground… There was blood everywhere…and I saw this creature…this large fox demon with six tails… I saw it holding my arm as its eyes burned… That's when I got my control back… That's when my body was mine again…but…but my jealousy… It's all my fault…" Vivi stared intently at Arthur, her eyes watering.

"I don't believe you." She said after a few long minutes. Arthur jerked his head up, looking at her with tear strained eyes.

"What?!" He almost shouted. "What don't you believe?!" He was starting to get hysterical.

"Arthur… I talked to the doctors after you were stabilized…" Vivi looked at him, her eyes hard. "They told me you were taking valium for anxiety…and that you had a double dose of it in your system… You took a high overdose, and had a wild hallucination. That's what the doctor's said." Arthur looked at Vivi, almost crushed by her accusation.

"I-I'm telling the t-truth!" He whimpered.

"Arthur, it didn't really happen." Vivi insisted. "Lewis never existed. He was a figment of your imagination. You made him up." Vivi's tone was harsh, but she believed he needed to hear this. _He has to stop dwelling on this… He's only going to get sick thinking about it so much._ "You invented him. You made him up as a coping mechanism for the trauma YOU endured Arthur. You didn't kill anyone." Arthur paled a little.

"B-But I didn't…"

"Arthur, come on." Vivi said slowly, shaking her head. "How could I have forgotten about someone that meant that much to me? How come I have no photos of him? What about my parents? His parents? An ambulance came to get you when your arm was torn off, and I'm sure they would've noticed another body pierced by spikes! If he existed and died, there would have been a funeral, but there hasn't been one in years Arthur, not since that old librarian died. My parents have never mentioned him to me, and I don't have any contact information in my phone about him or his parents."

"B-But my mom knows him…" Arthur tried.

"Arthur! Your mom told you whatever you wanted to hear once you came home missing an arm! You were a train wreck from that, remember?" Arthur flinched at her raised tone, and looked down unhappily. "You've got to let this go… It's nothing but a nightmare." Arthur's limbs started to tremble more, as he gritted his teeth. "It's okay." Arthur looked at her almost suddenly.

"It's NOT okay!" Arthur snapped loudly. "You've been PESTING me for the truth for MONTHS! MONTHS! And NOW that I tell you, you won't BELIEVE me? Do you not understand how HARD this has been on ME?"

"Arthur…" Vivi said softly as she placed a hand on his shoulder. He jerked away and got to his feet.

"NO!" He shouted, throwing his hands into the air. "I MAY be upset. I MAY be mad. I MAY be a nervous WRECK half of the time, but I DID NOT make Lewis up! He was MY best friend! He LOVED you! And YOU loved him! I RUINED your happily ever after! You can't just MOCK me like this!" Vivi came to her feet and slapped Arthur's cheek, hard enough to make her hand sting.

"Do you REALLY expect me to BELIEVE any of that?!" Vivi shouted loudly. "It makes NO sense at all!" Arthur stared at Vivi, then turned away from her and started to walk away.

"I don't know what you want from me anymore…" He said softly. "If you're not going to believe me, then fine. I know what happened, whether you'll believe me or not is your problem. I'm done." With that, Arthur started to walk away.

"Arthur!" Vivi shouted, "Get back here! We're not finished!" Arthur froze in his steps and looked back at her.

"I say we are." He said bitterly, then walked away from her. He didn't turn back when she started to call for him. He didn't even waste a glance. _I told her the truth… I told her the full truth… The truth that's been keeping me up at night for weeks… The truth that plagued me with nightmares… And now…now she thinks I'm crazy… I can't… I can't shake this awful feeling in my chest… Is this how things are supposed to be…? I will never accept that Lewis was fake… I can never… I can never have closure…_ Arthur started to cry as he continued to walk down the road, paying no attention to where he was going. _I'm going to…bear the weight of this guilt…alone for the rest of my life…_


	18. Thoughtless

Arthur hugged his arms gently and continued walking, even after the sun had shifted directly above his head. The air grew a little warmer, but a gentle breeze kept Arthur on the brink of shivering. He finally stopped when his legs started to pulse. He looked around, finding that he had wandered into the thick woods around his home town. Normally, he'd be terrified at being out there all by himself, but this time he wasn't fazed. He sat down underneath one of the larger trees and hugged himself softly, trying hard to warm himself back up. _I can't believe she wouldn't believe me… Of all the paranormal cases we've been through together… The ghost disasters and the possessions we observed together… She refuses to believe me about something so important._

He leaned his head back against the tree, sighing very softly as he shut his eyes. _No… I shouldn't be mad at her… The doctors are the ones who told her that… I don't… I don't remember taking a double dose…but that does explain why they canceled my prescription… I don't understand why she refuses to believe me though… _Arthur bit his lip as memories started flowing of the past few weeks. _Oh yeah… That's right… It's because I've been LYING to her for so long… Of course she wouldn't believe me._ Arthur quietly dug his hand into his pocket, clutching it around the cold blade with ease.

It's become a habit to keep it on hand again. Arthur looked at the blade, and felt a twang of embarrassment streak his heart, followed by shame and guilt. _What kind of freak am I…? I hurt myself to make myself feel better… I swore the last time was the last time…but here I am again…_ Arthur slowly slid off his gloves, and looked on at the fresh scars that were on his right wrist. He rolled his sleeves up and pulled them up to his shoulders. He examined his right arm, seeing how the older scars traveled from his wrist to his elbow, but no higher. Arthur moved the blade up his arm, pass the elbow, and gently pressed it against the unblemished skin. _This time… This time for sure is the last time…_ Arthur slowly cut his arm, leaning forward slightly so the blood drips pass his white shirt, only threatening to hit the ground and his black pants.

The cut stung sharply when the blade bit his skin, but Arthur relished the sweet relief that followed it. He felt his heart speed up, fluttering wildly at the sensation, before it died away all too quickly. Arthur began to move the blade back to the skin, when his phone went off in his pocket. Arthur frowned, but set the blade down and fumbled for his phone in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw there was a message from Vivi. His mood immediately turned sour again, as he hid his phone away again without looking at it. _I don't want to hear it…or read it…_ Arthur leaned his head back against the tree and gently grabbed the cut with his free arm. He squeezed the cut, basting in the feeling once again before it died.

_Why is it that I can only feel better when I'm in physical despair? When my skin is screaming at me…? What kind of freak am I…?_ Arthur felt his phone buzz again, he assumed another message from Vivi. He sighed and left it alone. He kept his eyes closed and let his thoughts roam around in his head. _One friend killed, the other thinking you're crazy, and a dog that's absent when you're on the brink of destruction… You sure know how to screw up everything…don't you? If only I could turn back time… I'd…jump off first…_

Arthur hadn't realized he's fallen asleep, until he woke up several hours later. The sun was starting to set already, and Arthur's cut had dried out. He sighed heavily and climbed to his feet. He was sure he knew where he was, despite the similar scenery that surrounded him. He started walking down the path, and slowly took out his phone. His eyes widened. _83 texts from Vivi and 11 missed calls._ Arthur bit his lip and opened up the text messages.

Arthur? Where are you? You've been gone for hours! Call me!

Arthur! Don't ignore my texts! Call me!

Seriously Arthur, you're starting to worry me.

Arthur, I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry.

Arthur please come back.

You're worrying me Arthur.

Why aren't you at your house? Your mom is worried.

You're not at my house either. Where are you?

Arthur? Please answer the phone.

Arthur? I swear if you don't answer me, I'm never going to forgive you!

Please answer me.

Arthur?

Arthur!

ARTHUR!

You're scaring me Arthur.

Arthur please.

Please.

Call me.

Call me now.

Arthur?

Arthur?!

I swear to god if you don't answer me, I'm going to hunt you down!

I'm sorry Arthur!

I'll believe you Arthur.

Okay, Lewis does exist.

Please answer your phone.

I'm worried Arthur.

Arthur, please call me.

Arthur, I don't care anymore, just call me.

Please be okay.

Are you hurt Arthur?

Please tell me you're eating right.

Why won't you answer me?

Do you hate me now Arthur?

I thought we were friends Arthur.

Please call me Artie.

Fine, don't call me, see if I care.

Ignore that last text Arthur. Please call me.

Mom and dad are worried.

Mystery misses you.

I miss you Arthur.

Please come home.

Please call me.

Please contact me.

Are you getting any of these?

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry.

I was wrong.

What I said was stupid Arthur.

Please come back.

I can't bear being without you here.

Please be safe.

Tell me you're safe.

Arthur?

I miss you.

Please call me.

Arthur please.

Where are you?

Arthur?

I need you.

Please come back.

Please call me.

P

L

E

A

S

E

C

A

L

L

M

E

!

I messed up Arthur.

Please forgive me.

Arthur's eyes watered as he got to the end, his stomach dropping as he came to the very last message. _She sounds so…so desperate… I'm so stupid… I shouldn't have…ran away from her…_ Arthur jumped a little when the phone began to ring. He saw it was Vivi's number, and answered it right away. "Vivi?! Hello?! I am so sorry. I'm sorry Vivi. I fell asleep and didn't see all the messages! I'm so sorry!" He sputtered into the phone at once. He waited for Vivi to answer, but the person on the other end didn't say anything. "Vivi…? Is something wrong?" Another silence followed, then another voice began to speak. Arthur's stomach dropped, as he recognized the voice on the other end.

"Sorry pal," a low, husky voice said with a slight Italian accent, "But she can't come to the phone right now. She's a little tied up. We're waiting for you at the amusement park. Don't forget how impatient I can be." Arthur heard a click, and a long beep filled the silence.


	19. Taken

_Oh God… Oh God no… Why… Why…_ Arthur nearly dropped the phone as he stared blankly. _He would never… He loved Vivi… He would never hurt Vivi… No… No…_ Arthur feet moved on their own, his heart pounding loudly in his ears as he went through the woods. _He said he wanted to kill me… Why would he take Vivi? Why?_ Arthur kept running and running, his breathing turned into a loud wheezing noise as they carried him along. _She didn't do anything… Why did he take her?_

Arthur's feet took him where he needed to go. The amusement park had been abandoned since before Arthur was born, due to an accident involving one of the rides. Apparently, over 10 people died from a malfunction on a ride, where the safety bars suddenly released the passengers during a loop. Several others were injured, but survived simply because they had fallen on one of the other 10 passengers, thus being saved at the expense of others. Normally, the front gate was locked, with a large chain and padlock securing it together.

That wasn't the case tonight. Instead the gate was wide open, as if someone was expecting him. Arthur felt his body start to tremble, but he pressed forward. He immediately passed a ticket booth, the old paint fainted and running while the rest of the building seemed to sag. He thought he caught a glimpse of eyes, watching him from the booth, but he didn't dare investigate. He needed to find Vivi. Next, he passed an old carousel. The once beautiful and pleasant horses were stained from endless rain, some of the horses with thick, black rock in their mouths. One of the horses had become so rotten that it sank down on the pole, only its head still upward, its expression seemingly showing pain.

It was getting dark outside. Arthur's eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness, but everything he passed became monstrous. There was an old water balloon race booth, one where you had to aim a little gun and shoot water into the clown's mouth until the balloon popped. The clown's smiles seemed crooked and cruel, their wide eyes made Arthur feel like he was being watched. He knew he would never come here on his own, but tonight, that didn't matter. There was something he needed to get done.

Arthur passed a Ferris Wheel, noticing how oddly tilted it looked, and sped pass it. He passed the roller coaster that took several lives when it was alive. Arthur kept going deeper and deeper into the park, searching and searching until his eyes fell upon a sign.

Haunted House Up Ahead!

Prepare for the fright of your life, as you explore a haunted mansion filled with ghosts.

If you're not careful, you might not make it out ALIVE!

Arthur felt a chill run down his spine as he walked in the direction the sign indicated. He felt his heart stop when the building finally came into view. There was no mistaking that this was the haunted house. This is where Lewis was, and where he was keeping Vivi. The mansion was tall, yet elegant. A magenta light pouring out from its windows, with a tall black gate surrounding it.

It was the same mansion from before, when Arthur had first encountered Ghost Lewis. The memory of the burning skull still scorched his mind, as he slowly walked through the gate. He heard a loud creak, followed by a clang as the gate shut behind him. He glanced back at it briefly, feeling his body shake viciously as he walked up to the door.

_I don't want to go in there. Lewis is in there. He's waiting for me. He wants to kill me. He said so himself. He's going to hunt me down, and I'm going to be his prey._ Arthur almost seemed to freeze as he stared at the large door. A part of him wanted to turn around, to take off running as fast as he could and never look back. The other part of him, the part that made him reach for the doorknob, was telling him he had no choice. Vivi was waiting for him on the inside, after all. He pulled the door open and stepped inside.

Vivi opened her eyes slowly as she attempted to wake herself up. _Where am I?_ The last memory she had, she was searching the woods for Arthur, and now she was here. Tiredly, she sat up carefully and looked around. She was in a grand bedroom, laying on a kind sized bed. The walls were purple, but they were elegantly decorated with beautiful paintings. All the furniture looked new and expensive, and Vivi could tell the bed sheets were too by how soft they were. She saw she was all alone, without even Mystery to keep her company. _What is this place? How did I get here?_

That's when a memory came back to her. She heard a low, husky voice whisper into her ear, and had somehow fallen asleep. _What on earth happened?_ She climbed out of bed and paced around the room, trying to figure out what was going on. She searched a pocket for her phone, but found it missing. _Did someone take my phone? This makes absolutely no sense. Have I been kidnapped? _Vivi bit her lip and walked to a nearby door. She tried the doorknob, but found it locked. She noticed a window on the other side of the room. She walked over to it and tried it as well, but found it locked too. She looked out of it and sighed gently. _I'm too high up to escape like that anyway…_

"This is just frustrating," She mumbled out loud, feigning annoyance. "Why would anyone want to kidnap me? I'm from an average family, and I don't have any enemies…" Vivi paced some more, thinking out loud now. "I don't owe anyone anything… There won't be a high ransom for me… Maybe I'm not the main target here…" Vivi's eyes widened. "No… I'm the bait." She paced a little faster. "Who is their main target? My dad? He's put away quite a few criminals…but that doesn't sound right. They would've tried to scare me…or hurt me, but I'm fine. It's got to be someone…someone who doesn't want me hurt, but wants to hurt someone else by making them come for me…" Vivi continued to pace, before freezing suddenly. "Arthur… It has to be Arthur… He's from a rich family, but he's nearly impossible to catch. He's too fast, and one phone call and he would have half the police force in the state out here… So they took me…so he'd come alone." Vivi felt her heart sank. "He wouldn't come for me… Would he? He's mad at me right…?" Vivi slowly came back to the bed and sat down, for once, gripped with fear.

_If he comes here… He could get hurt…_

Vivi came back to her feet in an instant and started pulling on the door. _If I had my bag, I could get a safety pin and a nail file and be out of this mess! Whoever took me left me with only my clothing! Did they know about me too?!_ Vivi smacked the door angrily, pulling her hand back from the pain and falling to her knees slowly. "If I hadn't upset Arthur… This wouldn't have happened…" She bit her lip and shook her head. "How am I supposed to believe that he killed someone though? He couldn't even handle dissecting a frog in high school. How could he possibly kill someone? And wouldn't I remember this guy?" _Then again, Mom avoided the subject of prom once I asked who my date was…_ Vivi gasped softly, her eyes starting to water. _Was I…so traumatized that I…forgot him…? Oh God…_ "I practically called him crazy…and he was so upset… Oh God Arthur!" Vivi bit her lip and came to her feet again, once again pounding at the door. "Let me out of here! I said LET ME OUT!" She continued to pound on the door, when she heard a voice speak from the other sound.

"Prendere facilmente mia mirtillo!" came a soft, low voice from the other side. It was Italian, which was very clear, though Vivi wasn't sure what he meant.

"What'd you just call me?" She asked through the door. _I can't tell if I should feel insulted or not._ There was a soft laugh from the other side.

"Oh that's right, you don't know," It came gently. "Prendere facilmente means 'Take it easy', mia means 'my', and mirtillo means 'blueberry'. Used together in the sentence, it means 'Take it easy my blueberry!' It's my pet name for you." Vivi crossed her arms tightly.

"I don't think kidnappers have a right to flirt with their victims," Vivi said harshly. There was a nervous laugh from the other side.

"I deserve that," the guy's voice came calmly. His accent coated each word he said, though his English was perfect. Vivi could hear the slight roll in his 'r's, and the differences in the vowels. Normally, this accent would be something she found charming, but she wasn't in the mood today.

"I demand to be released." Vivi said flatly, through the door. "If it's money you want, then I can get more than enough from my dad." Vivi was a little surprised when she heard more laughter on the other side.

"I'm not after money," The voice said again, correcting her. "No no no my dear. I've placed you in here for two reasons. 1. It's the most secure room, and I'm sure that no one but me will ever be able to find it." Vivi grit her teeth and smacked the door.

"We'll see about that." She said sharply, challenge in her voice.

"Reason No. 2," The voice continued, as if it expected her reply to begin with. "It's to protect you, and keep you from getting in the middle of a very dangerous matter." Vivi heard the voice drop, almost sounding harsh at the word 'dangerous'.

"Protect me?" Vivi questioned. "That's very noble of a KIDNAPPER to do." The voice seemed to soften again.

"Yes protect you," He said slowly. "You have a tendency to get involved, and the last time you did it, you almost got hurt. I can't have you doing that again."

"What dangerous matter are you referring to?" Vivi questioned, demanding to know. There was a small laugh, then the voice seemed to grow dark.

"E 'pericoloso solo per Arthur." The voice spoke in Italian. Vivi heard her friend's name, and filled in the blanks herself.

"What are you going to do to Arthur?" Vivi shrieked. The voice on the other end grew quiet, before it replied.

"Dovremo vedere che…" He mumbled gently, staying in Italian. Vivi grit her teeth and smacked the door.

"Speak English Strappo," Vivi growled sharply, using her very limited Italian vocabulary to insult the man on the other side.  
>"Sorry, but I've got matters to attend to," The voice said softly, and Vivi heard footsteps start walking away from the door. "I'll come get you when everything's over with, and return your thing. Just for once, can you please behave and keep yourself out of trouble?" Vivi smacked the door again as the footsteps got softer before disappearing all together. She started looking around the room for something, anything she could use on the door.<p>

"I never behave," She mumbled to herself, before she set to work.

Arthur entered the main corridor and noticed right away the mansion was different than it was last time. The grand stair cases from before and the chandelier above his head looked rotted and desolate, as if no one had cared for them in years. There were long hallways with peeling paint, rotting wood being revealed behind it, with faded paintings lining them. _There's… There's no way I'm going in front of those paintings again… Why is it so dark in here?_ Arthur slowly made his way to a wall and pressed his flesh hand against it. _How am I ever going to find Vivi in this place? It's huge! _Arthur followed the wall slowly, searching for a source of light anywhere. He felt his heart rate pick up when a small, magenta flame flew in front of him. The flame dashed back and forth in front of his vision, then took off down a hallways.

_Am I supposed to follow it? Last time, it lit a few candles and the place lit up… Maybe if I follow it, I can find some kind of light._ Arthur slowly drew his hand off of the wall and followed the little light, glancing nervously from side to side as he walked down the hallway. He watched as the eyes in the paintings seemed to follow him, and tried to keep calm when they frowned. _The paintings hate me too… What's going to happen? _Arthur continued to follow the glowing flame down the long hallway, until it came to a large door and disappeared.

Arthur looked at the door disdainfully and slowly grabbed the handle. _There's no telling what's behind this door… I could be Vivi…but more than likely…it'll be something bad…_ He held his breath as he pulled the door open, a cold breeze releasing from inside and making Arthur shiver. The room was darker than the hallway, making it impossible for Arthur to see what was waiting for him inside. He felt fear build up in him, subconsciously taking a step back. _In the past, Vivi would have charged in…and I would've followed her simply because she didn't need to be alone…_ Arthur clenched his fists together and took a step forward, the darkness threatening to swallow him whole. The door slammed shut behind him, making him yelp as he was blinded.

"I almost can't believe you came," A deep voice spoke, almost echoing around him. Arthur's hands slowly went up into the air, as he tried to feel something to catch his bearings. _I don't know where anything is… Shouldn't the door be right behind me? I can't find it…_ "Oh? Afraid of the dark are we? I never would've guessed." The voice came again. Arthur looked in the direction he thought he heard the voice, barely managing to reply.

"Y-You need t-t-to let Vivi go," Arthur stuttered softly. A chilling laugh echoed throughout the room.

"Vivi is just fine," the voice insisted. "I couldn't have her interrupting like last time, so she's been put away for her own safety." Arthur almost swore the voice was louder, but he couldn't tell in the dark.

"Sh-She w-w-wouldn't b-be here if you'd j-just taken me instead…" Arthur added in a soft voice. _My heart is beating so loudly, I can hear it…_

"Oh…but you'd run out of here as fast as you could otherwise," The voice continued. "Then, it'd be much harder to get my revenge on you." Arthur felt a cold chill run down his spine and flinched from it.

"L-Lewis… You've g-g-gotta hear me out!" Arthur sputtered quickly. "B-Back in the c-cave, it wasn't me! It wa-"

"LIAR!" Lewis screamed, interrupting Arthur midsentence. "I SAW you! Don't you DARE lie! I know it was YOU! YOU PUSHED ME!" At the end of the sentence, a pair of glowing magenta eyes appeared in front of him, as well as bright magenta flames that ignited on the floating skull. Arthur was blinded again by the bright flash of light, stumbling backwards. He heard footsteps come towards him and trembled. "You are going to PAY for what you did to ME!" Shouted the specter. Arthur backed up and felt the doorknob in his back. He turned quickly and pulled the door open, running quickly down the hallway.

He ran down the seemingly endless hallway, looking over his shoulder to see the ghost flying close behind him. He whipped his head back around and ran faster, almost noticing too late the suit of armor that was moving into the middle of his path. Arthur yelped and slipped around the suit, eyes widening in horror when Lewis simply flew over it. Arthur barreled out of the hallway like a bat out of hell and turned sharply, practically diving as he shot up the staircase.

"I-I really didn't! Please let me explain!" Arthur squeaked as he looked over his shoulder again, seeing that the ghost had caught up. The ghost let out a low growl as it extended its arms in an attempt to grab onto Arthur. He narrowly slipped away from him by turning sharply around another corner. He kept running even when the specter flew pass where he turned, and tried a nearby door. _It's locked!_ He ran down the hallway more and tried the next one. This one came open, so he stepped in and opened the door.

Only to fall down into what felt like an endless abyss.

Vivi pouted a little as she flopped onto the bed. _Okay, so the window doesn't break and neither does the door._ She glanced over at the remains of a desk that had been used in a merciless assault against the door and later the window. The only thing that gave was the desk. She huffed in fury as she sat up and crossed her arms. _It feels like I've been in here forever… How annoying…_ Her fury deflated momentarily when she heard a knock at her door.

"I swear to God I hate you," She shouted harshly.

"Yikes," replied the low Italian voice from before. She got to her feet and came to the door, smashing it with her hands.

"Let me out of here already!" She shouted. "If Arthur was going to show up, he would've already!" She felt her eyes burn momentarily, the anger in her voice subsiding. "I wouldn't come for me…" She sighed and wiped at her eyes.

"I'd come for you in a heartbeat," The voice said solemnly. "Why do you say that?" Vivi tensed up at the kindness from the voice of her kidnapper.

"Why the hell should you care?!" Vivi demanded as she kicked the door, then spent a few seconds jumping around holding the sore foot.

"I told you before, I put you in here to protect you," the voice replied softly, as if hurt from her last question. "Why wouldn't anyone come for you Vivi?" The way the Italian accent wrapped around her name made her heart flutter, if only for a second. _I swear…something about him…seems familiar…_

"It's stupid," Vivi said sharply, "I'm stupid and you're stupid. Everything's stupid." She stamped her foot and bit her lip. "Arthur's the dumbest of all."

"What did he do?" The voice questioned in a harsh tone, as if angered by the mere mention of the boy's name.

"What the hell do you have against Arthur?" Vivi snapped. There was a long silence on the other end. Vivi had almost given up on getting an answer when the voice answered.

"He betrayed me," the voice replied in a dark voice. "He was always jealous of me…I knew that, but I never thought he'd be so jealous that he-" He cut himself off.

"That he what?" Vivi questioned again. "Say it! Don't stop at the most crucial part." She heard a loud grunt.

"You never answered my question," The voice pointed out. "What did HE do to YOU?" Vivi bit her bottom lip, thinking of how to word it.

"It's no exactly what he did…" She said softly, the edge in her voice gone. "Well… It's his fault…but it's my fault too…" _Why do I feel like…talking to this guy is only natural…? Even though we're arguing…it almost feels natural._ "Okay, look. Something's been bothering Arthur for months now. MONTHS! Every time I asked him though, he wouldn't answer me. He'd just get pale and mutter something to himself, then clam up altogether."

"He was always such a coward," The voice commented harshly.

"Shut up," Vivi grumbled loudly. "Earlier today, I made him fess up. I was so surprised to hear he was dwelling on the SAME delusion he had had from the cave!" Vivi heard a small, low gasp at the word 'cave'.

"Delusion?" He asked, "Cave delusion? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, something the doctors told me about," Vivi commented nonchalantly. "Apparently, he had accidentally overdosed on his valium medicine, and it caused him to hallucinate something fierce." Vivi crossed her arms again, a little frustration showing on her face.

"Valium?" The voice asked.

"Yeah, some sort of anxiety medicine," She mumbled loudly. "He believes that something really bad happened, when it's absolutely impossible." Vivi's voice grew somewhat agitated. "When I tried to explain how it was impossible, he got upset and ran off. He wouldn't return any of my texts, or answer my calls."

"It's probably a lie then," He said in a low, harsh voice. "He was too afraid to tell you the REAL truth, so he lied to you to make you leave the subject alone. He probably ran away and refused to answer you because he knew you'd caught his lie." Vivi suddenly kicked the door again, earning a small 'ouch' from the person on the other side.

"Arthur WASN'T lying!" Vivi stomped about the room and grabbed one of the busted legs from the desk. Picking it up like a bat, she smashed it into the door. "You can tell by how he ACTS! When Arthur LIES, he looks AWAY and talks LOUDLY! When he tells the TRUTH, he looks AT YOU and speaks SOFTLY! He's such a terrible liar, so I know he wasn't!" Vivi smacked the door again and almost screamed.

"Someone's unhappy," the voice commented sarcastically. "He's always so quick to run, it's hard to tell. It doesn't matter. There is no excuse for what he did."

"What did he do?" Vivi asked. Silence fell, this time without a delayed answer. Vivi groaned and asked a different one. "What're you going to do to him?"

"I haven't figured that out yet." The voice replied. "I plan to catch him, but it's surprising easy to lose him in this mansion…" She heard a small voice whisper from the other side, followed by a short laugh from the man on the other side of the door. "But now I know where he is now." She heard the figure turn and start to walk away. He stopped shortly pass the door and spoke again. "You should know though, that he's not angry with you. He arrived here earlier, talking about how you shouldn't be involved in this. The only good aspect of the coward is that he's predictable." Vivi stopped mid swing, her eyes widening. _He actually came into a haunted house to save me? He's going to get hurt! This guy…he's going to hurt Arthur!_

"Leave him alone!" Vivi shouted. "I swear I'll HUNT you down and KILL you if you DARE hurt him!" Vivi huffed furiously as she took another swing at the door, making the leg break and splinter like a baseball bat. There was a small sigh from the other side of the door.

"I wish you were saying that on my behalf again," He mumbled softly, before walking away again. Vivi stood dumbstruck for a moment, processing what he had just said.

"Do I…know him…?"


	20. Crash

Arthur woke up laying on his back. He groaned softly and sat up slowly. He winched from a shooting pain that went up his back, neck, and head. He carefully moved his flesh hand to the back of his head and carefully ran his fingers through his hair. He stopped when a hot, sticky liquid soaked into his glove. _My head hurts so much…_ He looked around dizzily, his eyes starting to adjust to the dark. _Where did I fall…?_ Arthur climbed to his feet, leaning against the wall when the room started to spin, and started feeling the walls slowly. His hand landed on a light switch, and he hastily turned it on.

The room illuminated, making Arthur squint while he eyes adjusted, and Arthur finally managed to see where he was. The room looked like a simply old basement. There were boxes lining the walls around him, cobwebs in every corner, and there seemed to be an endless supply of dust. _This room is so ordinary… It feels out of place…_ Arthur slowly walked through the room, attempting to ignore the boxes around him, but his curiosity ate at him. _What could possibly be in a ghost's basement…?_ Arthur opened a random box and peered inside at the contents.

He found an old football uniform, with cleats, padding, and a helmet to match. The uniform was black with white lettering and trim, and the number on it was 13. Arthur took out the jersey slowly and flipped it over, lightly tracing over the white lettering that spelled out 'Lew-Lew'. _This is Lewis's football uniform… The nickname and lettering idea were Vivi's doing, saying that it would bring him good luck._ Arthur set the jersey back down and shifted the items around and found a single trophy, along with an old and worn out football. _This is the reward Lewis got after the team won the championship…and this is the game ball they let him keep. _Arthur closed the box, and went over to another one.

He opened up the next one and found a bunch of purple clothing, all in large sizes. His hands came to a fuzzy purple sweater with a cartoon magenta alpaca on it. Arthur smiled gently as he remembered Lewis's 19th birthday, when Vivi had gotten this for him as a gag gift. _She meant it as a tease, but he loved it so much._ Arthur felt a smile start to creep across his face. _There's so much in here… I was so used to seeing him in the same clothing…I forgot how large his wardrobe was…_ He closed the box and stood up, his hand going into his pocket and wrapping around the old picture. He sighed gently as his ran his fingers over the picture. _I…wish we could…be like this again…_

He jumped when he heard a noise above his head. He immediately ran to hide behind some of the boxes, pausing only briefly to turn the lights out. He pressed his back to a box and waited in the dark as the footsteps grew nearer. He heard a door come open, and light cast into the room. Arthur was hidden in the behind the boxes, the shadows from them hiding him well. He covered his mouth when a shadow was cast onto the wall beside him. The figure was tall, with a broad chest, and the all too familiar shape of a pompadour on the guy's head. Arthur covered his mouth to keep his breathing quiet. He heard the ghost step into the room.

"You better come out," Lewis said eerily, his steps growing nearer. "Though I admire your ability to allude me and make it all the way down here in such a short amount of time, it's about time we ended this charade." Lewis steps grew louder, Arthur shaking where he hide. _Please don't find me… Give up… Look somewhere else… Don't find me…_ Arthur shook more when the footsteps stopped on the other side of the boxes. There was a low growl that echoed through the room, and Arthur heard the specter step to the side. "Here I thought he was clever…" Lewis mumbled. Arthur slowly, carefully leaned his head around to see what the ghost was doing. _If there's a chance, I can run around and shut the door…It'll by me some time to search for Vivi._

Arthur was surprised to see the ghost down on one knee, examining the floor nearby. He saw the ghost had leaned down and touched a puddle of blood. _That must've been from where I fell… I heard head injuries bleed a lot, but that puddle is huge…_ He watched as Lewis looked up and followed where he believed the ghost was looking. There was a large hole in the ceiling, one that Arthur could see straight through from his angle, and he briefly caught a glimpse at a smaller hole on the next floor. "Stupid, old rotting house," The ghost grumbled, getting to his feet. "Only Arthur could find the one weak spot in a well-built house and fall straight down to the basement. The little runt must have escaped already." Arthur pulled back as the ghost shifted his position and headed towards the door.

As Arthur watched him walk away, an idea started to form in his head. A dangerous, stupid idea that only Vivi would've gone through with, but an idea nonetheless. _If I follow him, maybe he'll lead me to Vivi._ Arthur waited until the ghost was almost to the door before carefully climbing to his feet. _This is stupid… He'll know I'm following him… I'll get caught and he'll kill me… That's how this whole thing is going to end…_

Despite all the warnings that blared in Arthur's head, he found himself following the ghost down the hallway, keeping a good distance in case he did turn around. He noticed quickly how the paintings and knights stayed immobilized while Lewis was unaware of his presence, and was very thankful for it. He followed Lewis upstairs to the first floor, then again to the second floor. He followed him begrudging down another long hallway, hiding behind a suit of armor when Lewis glanced over his shoulder. He walked down the long hallway until he came to a door. Arthur watched as Lewis opened it and went in, followed by what sounded like him going up stairs. Arthur bit his lip and remained still as he waited for the sounds to fade. _Now what do I do? Do I follow him? What if there's only one room up there? I'll be caught for sure…_

He sighed and stayed hidden behind a suit of armor, watching the door patiently. _I'll wait for him to come back, and then I'll go in. _He looked up when her heard a low, sad whine come from a nearby room. _Is that…?_

Vivi was never a very patient person. She disliked sitting still for longer than a minute, especially when there was nothing for her to mess with. There weren't any books in the room, nor were there writing materials so she could draw and forget about the situation. _This is the most annoying thing in the world… I wonder if this is how Arthur feels when he gets kidnapped and has to wait for Mystery and I to rescue him? _A small smirk crossed her lips. _No… Knowing Arthur, he'd stay in a corner and get as small as possible… I remember once he hid so well that when the kidnapper came in to check on him, he'd assume that Arthur had escaped. _Vivi pouted softly and kicked the door again. _Since my kidnapper doesn't come in, that won't work._ Almost on cue, she heard footsteps approaching her door.

"Your hospitality stinks," She grumbled loudly, kicking the door again.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," came the low voice from the other side. "I'd offer you a drink, but the moment the door was cracked, you would attempt to escape."

"Smart boy," Vivi mumbled, getting a gentle laugh from her kidnapper. "You're just too scared to show yourself is all." He chuckled again.

"I will not be baited by you," He said softly. "Besides, I'm staying here so you won't be afraid of me." Vivi huffed loudly.

"I don't scare," Vivi said plainly. "You're a moron if you think I'm afraid of anything."

"You're scared of mice," The voice commented from the other side, making Vivi's eyes widen in shock. _My parents don't even know that! The only person I've told is Arthur! How could he possibly know that?!_ Vivi stood up a little straighter and hit the door with her fist.

"How the hell do you know that?" She questioned in a demanding tone. "Have you been watching me? Following me? Stalking me? I swear to God if you're some sort of pervert, I will find a way to break this door down!" Vivi heard the man on the other side step away from the door.

"Now now, it's not like that," He said defensively. "It was a secret you told me a long time ago… It's okay if you don't remember it."

"Bull," Vivi grumbled. "The only one I ever told that to was Arthur, and that's because he had to take care of one when I started having a scream attack. I never told anyone else." Vivi came closer to the door, hoping her voice would project better. "Unless you're keeping something from me, then you're lying." She listened as he sighed loudly from the other side.

"I'd never lie to you," He said softly. "Unless it was to protect you, I would never lie to you." Vivi heard the hurt in his voice, almost feeling bad for what she'd said. Almost.

"Why do you act like that?" Vivi asked, a little harsher than she meant to. "Why do you talk like you care about me, but then avoid my questions like the plague? You're acting so weird… You make me want to feel sorry for you, when I'm the one in a tough spot!" Vivi felt her eyes sting a little, so she rubbed them furiously to make it stop.

"It's because no matter what happens… my feelings for you haven't changed at all…" He replied softly. "I…am fine with you hating me…as long as you don't get hurt." Vivi felt her chest start to ache, and briefly, she longed to take the hand of the man outside her door. _I feel like…in any other circumstance… I would've fallen in love with him…_ Vivi grit her teeth suddenly as another thought floated through her brain. _This is what they call 'Stockholm Syndrome', where the victim of a kidnapper gains sympathy and actually falls for her kidnapper. What kind of moron am I?_

"You already have hurt me by kidnapping me!" Vivi shouted, her fury starting to boil again. "Here I am alone in this boring room without my best friend, or even my dog to keep me company! And the only one who'll come and talk to me won't even show me their face? Do you know what kind of torture this is?!" Vivi heard the man on the other side start to answer, when a loud crash was heard. A group of hushed voices started erupting outside her door, but Vivi could only hear her kidnapper's voice.

"Mystery got loose?" He asked, a little angry. "I'll go take care of him. I told you over and over again not to underestimate the little dog, but you don't listen!" She heard a group of footsteps walk away from her door, and sighed loudly.

"Serves you right." Vivi leaned against the door and tapped her foot impatiently. She leaned her head back against the door when she heard the doorknob click, then felt the door swing open behind her. She started to fall back when a pair of arms caught her by her shoulders.

"Wow… You really did a number on that room," A slightly higher guy's voice said from behind her. She turned her head to see Arthur holding her up. She contained a squeal as she turned and hugged him, threatening to crush his windpipe. "V…V… Air…Need…Air…" Viv released her hold on him, then quickly slapped his cheek. Arthur looked at her, a little dazed and confused.

"That…was for not answering my texts!" Vivi said loudly. Arthur quickly covered her mouth and looked down the hallway.

"I'm sorry okay?" Arthur said quickly in a hushed voice. "Listen… That guy is after me… He's after me okay? I won't leave while you're here, so I need you to get out of here." Vivi looked up at him with wide eyes. Arthur slowly removed his hand from her mouth.

"I am not leaving without you," Vivi proclaimed. Arthur shook his head and placed his hands back on her shoulders.

"Listen to me," He said slowly. "Just this once, shut your mouth and listen to me." Vivi snapped her mouth shut, a little stunned by Arthur's tone. "I'll be right behind you, but I won't leave unless I know you're safe. Do you understand?" Vivi nodded, then opened her mouth to speak.

"What about Mystery?" Vivi asked in a low voice.

"Oh that?" Arthur asked, a sly smile on his face. "Well… I might have heard him whining and opened the door… He's just distracting for now. Listen, I'm going to distract him. While I do that, I want you to get out of here… Mystery should be right outside the front door, and I'll be out after you." Vivi didn't like the idea at all.

"But I don't know my way out," Vivi mumbled softly. Arthur sighed and took something out of his pocket. He doodled a quick map and wrote down instructions, before handing it to her. "What if I get caught?"

"You won't," Arthur reassured her. "He'll be too busy chasing after me." Vivi bit her lip, looking down at her feet.

"What if you don't make it out…?" Vivi asked in a soft voice. Arthur paled for a moment, as if this fear was just now gripping him, but he managed a weak smile.

"Then… It's what was meant to happen." Arthur mumbled gently, then lightly shook Vivi. "But I'm the fastest thing on two legs. I doubt he'll be able to catch me." Arthur raised his head as a loud crash came from downstairs. Arthur turned his attention back to Vivi, and gently ruffled her hair. "It's my turn to do the hard part." He gave her a weak smile, then turned and took off towards the stairs. "Count to 10, then get out of here as fast as you can!" He called back to her before disappearing down the steps. Vivi looked at the direction again, her eyes starting to burn as she clutched it in her fingers.

She'd never been this afraid before in her life.

Arthur went down the staircase quickly, following the noise he heard from down the hallway. He grabbed the helmet off of a suit of armor and ran forward, his heard pounding harshly in his chest as he got close. He turned a corner to see Lewis, floating above the ground, chasing after a little white dog. Arthur held the helmet in his hand and reeled it back, waiting for the right moment before launching it. He'd never been very sporty, but at such a close range, it was impossible to miss. Arthur watched as the helmet collided with Lewis's floating skull and knocked the man off his feet and onto his butt. _I honestly thought his skull would go flying._ Arthur paled when the ghost looked at him, its eye sockets narrowing.

"Arthur…" It growled as it came to his feet, forgetting about the dog that was now turning a corner. Arthur turned on his heel and took off, catching a glimpse of blue as he passed another hallway. Vivi pressed herself to the wall and watched with awe as the ghost went pass her, his attention fully on Arthur. _That's the ghost from before… From the mansion that disappeared… Is that where we are?_ Vivi heard a low bark from behind her and turned to see Mystery.

"You're such a good dog," She mumbled softly and leaned down to pet him. Arthur's loud yelp caught her attention, reminding her that now was not the time to dawdle. She went down the hallway, in the opposite direction the blonde had ran, and quickly came to the stairs. She was down them and out the door within seconds. Mystery ran pass her and cleared the gate, but Vivi stopped short. He turned and barked at her, obvious worry in his eyes, but Vivi didn't come. "I'm waiting for Arthur to come out." She said promptly, earning a worried whine from the dog. She crossed her arms and looked to the door. _Hurry up Arthur…_

_This was a stupid idea._ Arthur turned a corner and looked back to see the ghost was still right behind him. If anything, he was getting faster. Arthur huffed and turned another corner. _I've got to explain it to him… He's there…he may not believe me…but I have to tell him._ Arthur looked over his shoulder again, catching the purple irises that were glaring at him.

"J-Just let me explain!" Arthur shouted as he turned his head.

"I'm NOT in the mood for TALKING!" Lewis growled loudly. He swiped at Arthur, who ducked underneath his large hand.

"Then DON'T talk, just LISTEN!" Arthur almost squealed loudly. His heart was beating fast in his chest, his breath coming up short. "I-In the cave! Th-There w-w-was s-something wrong! There was something –something really bad – in there! I-It possessed me!" Arthur rounded a corner, seeing the staircase far in the distance.

"Possession? THAT'S your EXCUSE?" Lewis questioned in a deep growl.

"I-It's not an excuse!" Arthur shouted, gasping softly to catch her breath. _I feel light headed._ "I-It made me push you! It took a-all my negative f-feelings and m-m-made me push you! It f-fed off my j-j-jealousy and m-my fear, and m-made me shove you! I swear I would n-never do that to you otherwise!" Arthur saw the end of the hallway getting closer.

"LIAR!" The ghost shouted as it swiped at Arthur again, him narrowly avoiding it this time. "YOU wanted to steal VIVI from ME! You HATED me because YOU couldn't measure up!" Arthur looked back at the ghost, feeling his eyes start to sting.

"I never hated you," He said softly. He turned his head back quickly, barely seeing the suit of armor swing its sword at him in time to avoid it. He jumped as high as he could, clearing the sword, but found he had another problem. He had jumped close to the stairs, and though he avoided the sword, he had jumped over the railing as well and felt himself start to fall. In a last ditch effort, he reached his hands out for something, anything to grab onto. He felt his fingers hook around the chandelier, swinging forward with a lot of momentum, before his grip slipped. He came crashing down onto his feet, feeling his right ankle buckle underneath the weight as he slipped down to his knees. He let out a slow, low hiss as he grabbed his leg. _My ankle…oh God it hurts!_

"It seems I've got you where I want you," Lewis said eerily. Arthur turned his head to see the ghost was walking down the stairs, eyes on him. Arthur tried to stand up and run, but he fell forward the instantly he put pressure on his ankle. _Oh God no…not when I'm this close…_ Arthur carefully climbed to his feet and started hopping towards the door on the one leg he had. "How pathetic." Lewis grumbled as he pointed towards the door. The door swung shut violently, a loud bang echoing through the room.

Vivi waited by the gate impatiently, watching the door for any signs of Arthur. _You're taking way too long… Hurry up…_ Mystery whined at her softly, looking at the mansion as well.

"It's alright…" Vivi assured the little dog. "Nothing can catch Arthur when he runs at full speed…" She felt her voice get weak, so she decided to look back down at the only thing she had on her. The little map Arthur had drawn her. She looked down at the crude drawing and sighed gently, then turned it over. She didn't expect to see that on the other side of her map was a picture. _He drew the map on a picture…? Why did he have this on him?_ Vivi squinted her eyes in the dark, her eyes adjusting before it finally came clear.

It was a picture taken in Vivi's favorite café, Café Rose, where she remembered that the waitresses dress up as maids. On the picture, she saw Arthur in a booth, sitting almost pressed up against the window. His hair was still curly and black, so she knew it had to be in middle school, but he was wearing a very similar vest to what he wears now. He was wearing a long sleeved black shirt though, which really brought out the color of his amber eyes. He had one arm around Vivi's shoulder, while the other was under the booth. He was smiling nervously, a light blush across his cheeks. _Typical Arthur._ Beside him in the middle of the booth was Vivi. She was wearing a blue t-shirt with a giant pink heart in the middle, and a large black bow in her hair. _This was before I found my beloved blue headband… Oh man that looks dorky._ She wasn't wearing her glasses in this picture, be instead had them hanging on her shirt collar instead. She could tell by the picture that she was the one holding the camera. Her eyes slowly drifted to the right, and fell on a face she didn't recognize.

It was a boy with purple hair and matching purple eyes. He was larger than both Lewis and Vivi, and his shoulders were broad. He was wearing a black tank top, with a purple coat lazily thrown over one shoulder. She could see his skin was slightly tanned. He had one arm over Vivi's remaining shoulder, while the other one was scratching the back of his head. He was looking away from the camera, a shy flush on his cheeks, but he was smiling. Vivi stared at the picture as a single word started to form at the back of her mind.

_Lewis…_

Vivi blinked softly, her hands starting to tremble. She suddenly grabbed her head, dropping the picture and making Mystery whine. That's when it all came back to her.

_Lewis. Lewis who worked at Pepper Paradiso. Lewis who was on the football team. Lewis who protected Arthur from bullies when she wasn't around. Lewis who had asked her to prom, and waltzed with her. Lewis who had confessed his love for her during said prom, and had asked her to be his girlfriend. The same Lewis who loved alpacas. The same Lewis who loved mysteries just as much as she did. The same Lewis who spoke in Italian from time to time just to make her heart flutter. The same Lewis who helped buy the van, who drove for them most of the time, who could see within the first few minutes whether a house was really haunted or faked, who had helped find news articles for solving mysteries, who had led them into the cave bravely, who had fallen off of the cliff in front of her, and who had-_ Vivi jerked her head up when she heard the door slam. "Oh no…"

She took off running towards the door and started pulling on it, upset when it wouldn't budge. _Lewis! No! Don't do it! You don't know what happened! Lewis!_

Arthur stood with is back to the door, as the specter started walking towards him. He heard a faint creaking noise, but paid it no attention as the ghost grew nearer.

"L-Lewis…" He said softly, though it sounded more like a whine. "W-Why w-won't you…b-believe me?" Arthur flinched as the specter growled loudly.

"You SHOVED me off a CLIFF!" He shouted, his hair seeming to flare momentarily. "I stuck my neck out for you! I protected you all through high school! I thought you were my best friend! And you BETRAYED ME!" Arthur flinched again when the skeleton's voice grew louder.

"I-I s-swear I would neve-"

"YOU ALREADY DID!" Lewis shouted, coming halfway across the floor. "Why did I EVER trust YOU to begin with?" Arthur heard another large creaking noise, this time looking up. He saw the chandelier was still waving back and forth in the air. His eyes fell on the housing, seeing instantly that it was coming loose.

"L-Lewis…" Arthur mumbled as he looked down at the specter.

"I thought you were my best friend!" he continued on his rant, not noticing. "I TRUSTED YOU!"

"Lewis!" Arthur tried again. He watched as the chandelier popped from its housing, hanging by a small wire.

"You LAUGHED as I FELL!" Lewis shouted, anger and hate filling his eyes. Arthur looked up again as he heard a loud snap.

The whole world seemed to slow down. Lewis looked up when he heard the noise, freezing in place. Arthur pushed himself off the wall and closed the distance in seconds, his hands landing on the ghost's chest. He felt the silk of the suit against his skin briefly before Lewis was shoved backwards. Arthur fell forward, his balanced lost from putting all his momentum forward, and landed on his stomach.

There was a loud crash that echoed from the room, followed by Vivi's scream.

**~.~**

**Message From Author:**

**Hey everyone! Just going to ask for some reviews on how you liked the story so far! I love the ones I get, no matter how short they are. I'd even be fine with a simple. "Good job" or "Bad Story" from anyone, though I hope it's not bad. The next chapter should be available soon!**


	21. Panic

Vivi pushed against the door, trying to force it open, when suddenly all the weight came off of it. She stumbled forward and saw with eyes wide what happened. Arthur had pushed Lewis, making Lewis fall back onto his butt, and fell onto his stomach in the process. Seconds after, the large chandelier fell on top of Arthur with a crash. Vivi let out a high pitched scream as a cloud of dust filled the room. She coughed softly and ran around the busted chandelier, giving no care to the broken glass as she crouched down near her friend. Arthur was now pinned underneath the chandelier, his arms sprawled out in front of him and his head and neck barely out of the chandelier's reach. His back and pelvis weren't so lucky. Arthur was pinned down to the ground by the heavy weight, his eyes closed.

Vivi noticed a red stain on the back of his head, seeing how the blood was already dry, and pondered where it came from for a moment before jumping to her feet. She grabbed one end of the chandelier and tried to lift it off of Arthur, but found herself unable to move it. She felt her eyes burn as she tried again, but didn't get a different result. Vivi fell back down to her knees and let out a loud sob, tears falling down her face.

"Why are you crying…?" Asked a weak voice. Vivi looked down to see Arthur had opened his eyes and was staring at her from his position. "Don't cry Vivi…" Arthur pulled his arms under his shoulders and tried to pull himself forward, but an expression of pure pain filled his features.

"S-Stop it!" Vivi commanded as she got to her feet. "Y-You need to stay still!" Arthur looked up at her and smiled weakly.

"I don't understand…" came a low, soft voice from across the room. They had almost forgotten about the ghost that owned the mansion. Lewis was still on his backside, his eye sockets wide. "You…saved me…?" Arthur leaned up and looked at him, his breathing shallow.

"Stupid…huh…?" Arthur asked softly. "I saved a ghost from dying… Woo… Someone give me the noble prize…" Arthur coughed suddenly and leaned his head down. The other two watched in horror when his head came back up and blood was dripping down his lips.

"Arthur…Why…?" Lewis asked, slowly getting to his feet.

"Do…I need a reason…?" Arthur asked softly, his voice sounding weaker. "You're…my best friend…" Arthur started coughing again.

"Stop talking!" Vivi instructed harshly as she grabbed the chandelier. She tried hard to move it, but it wouldn't budge. She let out a loud sob and continued to cry. She was about to give up when it started to move. She looked to her side and saw Lewis had grabbed onto it too. His muscles flexed as he easily moved the chandelier off of Arthur. Once it was off, Vivi came down to her knees and carefully flipped Arthur onto his back, letting his head rest in her lap. "You're going to be okay… I swear you are." Vivi said softly as she ran her fingers through his hair. Arthur smiled weakly, then turned his head to cough. Lewis knelt down beside Vivi and Arthur, looking on at the broken blonde.

"You…You saved me…" He mumbled softly. Vivi looked up and saw immediately that he was crying, tears streaming down his cheeks. She wasn't surprised when she saw the paint start running. "That wasn't supposed to happen… I just wanted to scare you…I just wanted you to feel as badly as I did when you pushed me…but that…that wasn't supposed to happen…" Lewis raised his gloved hand slowly and gently touched Arthur's chest. _It's so soft…_

Vivi looked up at him, accusations in her eyes, but a few coughs from Arthur snapped her out of it.

"We've got to get him to a hospital," Vivi said quickly. Lewis nodded gently and slowly slid his arms underneath Arthur. He noticed how much thinner he was from the last time they'd met, sobbing loudly in response. Arthur winched and let out a loud yelp, something in the motion making him hurt more.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Lewis mumbled gently as more tears fell down his face.

"Don't be…" Came the shaky reply. Vivi hushed him again.

"I said don't talk Arthur!" She looked at Arthur, then suddenly forced her hand into Lewis's pocket. She pulled out her phone and dialed 9-1-1, stepping aside as she described the injuries to the woman on the other end. Lewis carefully shifted Arthur onto his back to carry him piggy back, holding onto his legs. Arthur's hands weakly gripped his shoulders, pulling on the fabric of his suit.

"I'm the one who's sorry…" Arthur said softly, mumbling it into Lewis's back.

"Vivi said not to talk," Lewis insisted as he looked to Vivi. She hung up the phone and looked to him.

"They're sending someone," She stated gently. "We've got to get him to the gate though, since the ambulance can't get through it." Lewis nodded and turned with Arthur on his back, heading straight towards the gate.

"I didn't mean to…" Arthur spoke again.

"Hush Arthur," Lewis said firmly. "You've gotta save your energy."

"I'm sorry…" He mumbled softly. Lewis noticed how Arthur's body was shaking. _His body is in rough shape… That ambulance better get here fast._

"I forgive you," Lewis said quickly. "Just don't talk anymore. You need to save your energy." Lewis got to the gate in record time and looked out towards the road, his heart beating heavily as he waited for the flashing red and white lights. Vivi was beside them in an instant, staring at the emptiness with a worried expression on her face.

"I didn't mean to ruin everything…" Arthur mumbled in a very gentle voice, coughing loudly when he did.

"A-Arthur!" Vivi shouted.

"I was scared you two would leave me…" He said softly, as if not hearing Vivi's protests. Lewis bit his bottom lip, making a face when he tasted the paint.

"How could you ever think we'd leave you?" Vivi asked, a slightly insulted tone in her voice.

"We need you around," Lewis said in low voice. "You brought us together Arthur. You're our best friend! We never would've left you behind!"

"We love you Arthur!" Vivi shouted gently. "You're the most important friend in the world!" Vivi looked towards the emptiness again, her eyes watering. "I hear it, but it's not fast enough! HURRY UP!" Vivi's voice reached a new octave, before waving and breaking into sobs. Arthur let out a very faint, very weak laugh and clutched Lewis's shoulders a little tighter.

"I was…scared over nothing…" He mumbled softly. Lewis felt Arthur's hands loosen, then let go of his shoulders. He quickly leaned forward to keep the blonde from falling backwards off his back. He noticed that Arthur's body had stopped shaking entirely. He looked over at Vivi, whose face went white.

"Arthur!" She shouted as bright red and white lights came into view.

The ambulance came to a halt within feet of them, two men coming out the back with the stretcher. Lewis carefully laid Arthur on it, then the two men started strapping Arthur down. Vivi was trembling wildly, on the verge of hysteria as they loaded him into the ambulance.

"Only one," the man said briefly before getting into to work on Arthur. They started checking his vitals immediately. "Heart rate: 174. Oxygen saturation: 75%." Lewis looked to Vivi and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You need to call his parents and yours," Lewis said in a calm, low voice.

"B-But I can't leave him!" Vivi said defensively, on the brink of tears.

"They won't let you go with them while you're acting like this," Lewis said quickly, softly rubbing her shoulders. He glanced over at Arthur to see the paramedics were cutting off his shirt with a pair of medical shears. "Make a few phone calls and get yourself calmed down. I'll stay with him, I promise." Vivi looked up at him and sniffed loudly. She nodded slowly and flipped open her phone. Lewis turned and slipped into the ambulance, staying out of the way of the paramedics. He watched as the second paramedic placed a stethoscope against Arthur's chest, listening patiently for a few seconds, before moving it to the other side of his chest.

"We're going to have to intubate him," The second paramedic said quickly. "He's in severe respiratory arrest." The first paramedic nodded and grabbed a Laryngoscope. He eased his fingers into Arthur's mouth, using his thumb and middle finger to spread his lips open. He carefully slipped the Laryngoscope into Arthur's mouth, keeping it to the right and adjusting it between vocal cords and trachea with practiced precision. Lewis bit his bottom lip as he watched the paramedic carefully slide the endotracheal tube down Arthur's throat, before pulling the Laryngoscope back out. Lewis watched as the paramedic used a syringe to inflate the cuff. The second paramedic took a CO2 detector and placed it between the tub and the bag, checking its placement. Lewis say it turn purple after a few seconds.

"Looks good," The first paramedic mumbled to his pal. "Let's double check." The first paramedic took the stethoscope and listened intently while his partner inflated the bag multiple times. He looked up and nodded to his partner. "It's in place. His left lung appears to be fine, but there appears to be a problem with the right. The bottom is absent, while above is diminished."

"Sounds like a collapsed lung," the second said quickly. Lewis bit his lip more, sweat starting to roll down his face. He watched as they placed him on a cardiac monitor, his stomach dropping when he watched the numbers increase a little more, then decrease, then increase again, beating unsteadily. "The report said he may have a spinal injury." The paramedic looked at Lewis, briefly giving him an angered look, before going back to Arthur. He pulled out a c cuff and placed it around Arthur's neck.

"He's a stress induced asthmatic," Lewis commented slowly. _What was that look for? He looked angry at me… _The two paramedics exchanged a look, their hands continuing to work as the second one spoke up.

"Get us to the hospital, stat." He said sharply. Lewis heard the siren blare above as the ambulance took off forward. The second paramedic continued to inflate the bag while the first one dove to the radio, calling in Arthur's condition and who needs to be on standby when they arrive. Lewis looked over at Arthur, and slowly reached out his hand to feel the soft heartbeat. _This is all my fault… I'm so sorry Arthur…_

The ambulance whipped into the hospital parking lot within five minutes. Lewis jumped out quickly and got out of the way as the paramedics rolled Arthur into the emergency room. He watched from a few feet away as the doctor pulled a portable chest x-ray over to Arthur and took it, examining the photo intently.

"His lung has collapsed," He announced solemnly. "The air outside of his lung is causing tension in his chest cavity." He looked over to a nurse. "Get me an 18 gage needle." The nurse complied, handing him the small needle. The doctor easily found the fourth and fifth intercostal space, and quickly pushed the needle inside, pulling off the syringe shortly after. Lewis heard a gentle rush of air come from the needle.

"His heart rate is decreasing," A nurse informed him, a small smile on her face.

"Let's take this opportunity and stabilize the patient," The doctor said quickly. He started pulling Arthur away on the gurney, disappearing behind a set of double doors. Lewis tried to follow, but was stopped by one of the nurses.

"I'm sorry doll," She said gently, "But you can't go in there." Lewis stared at the door in disbelief, sorrow and worry filling his features.

"But that's my best friend!" He almost shouted, his Italian accent getting thicker.

"It'll be alright," The nurse said soothingly. "Sit down in the chair… I'll personally give you an update in an hour. Does that make you feel better?" Lewis looked at the doors again, wanting nothing more than to force his way through, but he consented to the nurse. "I'll escort you to the waiting room," She said in a calm voice. She placed her hand over his shoulder and led him slowly down the hallway. Lewis looked back at the double doors again, and sighed loudly. _Please be okay Arthur…_

Hours passed, with Lewis waiting in a small sofa for news. Vivi had arrived shortly after, her parents in tow, along with Arthur's mom. Lewis was surprised to see her without makeup on, wearing a very simple gown. She looked as if she'd gotten out of bed and came as she was, which actually improved her looks. She had broken down shortly after arriving, shouting and demanding that the nurses let her see Arthur. Vivi's parents took her away shortly after, Vivi's dad assuring her that the doctors here were the best, while Vivi's mom gently rubbed her back. Vivi stared at the floor, very silent. Lewis looked at her slowly, worry encircling his features.

"Vivi…" He said softly, in his most consoling voice. This had the opposite effect, unfortunately. Vivi suddenly sat up and slapped Lewis, her palm getting red from the harsh impact. Lewis looked to her, a little stunned.

"You are a jerk!" Vivi shouted at him. "Y-You are the worse! First of all, you get pushed over a cliff and speared by a stalagmite. I see you and scream, and help you get off of it. You weren't stabbed anywhere vital, thank God, but you were bleeding a lot! Instead of letting me take you to the hospital, however, you hypnotize me and make me forget everything!"

"But I-" Lewis started, but received another smack.

"Then, you work on a haunted mansion attraction and move it out in the middle of nowhere, waiting for us to come by! You use an electromagnet to make the car die on us, then chase Arthur around the attraction to scare him!" Lewis opened his mouth to argue, but Vivi's raised hand silences him. "Then, you follow us and torment Arthur, making him act crazy! And then you kidnap me and make him come to a haunted house JUST TO SCARE HIM MORE!" Vivi punched his chest and wheezed loudly, sobs coming to her throat. "H-He got himself hurt running from you every time! He's been having such vicious nightmares thinking he's a murderer! I didn't believe him because of you, and made him run away… All because you wanted to get some stupid revenge…"

"Vivi…" Lewis said softly as she began to cry.

"I'm so mad at you… I can't believe you'd do that to me…" Vivi said softly, her hair falling into her face. "A-And now…for months he's been feeling absolutely tortured…and I know I wasn't there like I should've been… I didn't make him talk about it at the beginning, so he's been hurting himself… I should've done better…been a better friend…made him feel like he could listen to me… I'm so stupid…" At the end of this, Vivi let out a loud sob and leaned against Lewis's chest. The large man gently put his arms around her, holding her tightly as she sobbed. "You're such a moron," She mumbled gently.

"I know…" Lewis said gently.

"You could've died back then…" Vivi mumbled softly, hiccupping into his shoulder. "Arthur almost died too… He somehow lost his arm…he claimed some monster tore it off…but I don't believe that… Whatever happened though…it changed him…" Vivi hiccupped loudly.

"Sh…" Lewis hushed her softly, gently rubbing her back with his hand.

"I don't…believe in ghosts…" Vivi mumbled gently. "We've never once came across a real haunting…or a real possession…or a real monster… They've always been fakes…people wearing masks or holographic imaging…"

"I know…" Lewis said softly, rubbing her back gently. "I was always good at finding fake hauntings right away…since it's easy to disrupt a lot of electronic equipment…" Lewis sighed gently. "There's no way I'll believe that Arthur was actually possessed…" Lewis looked away, biting his lip softly.

"That doesn't…really matter does it…" Vivi mumbled softly. Lewis looked down at her, and she looked back at him with tear filled eyes. "Arthur believes it…with every ounce of his heart and soul…so even if it never actually happened…we have to accept what Arthur says… If only so he'll have closure…" Vivi sniffed again, tears falling down her face despite her efforts to stay strong.

"I…I can't say I quite forgive him…" Lewis mumbled. Vivi's face became angry.

"Why the hell not?!" She asked, jerking away from his grasp roughly.

"Sorry…" Lewis mumbled, looking down. "I… I've been thinking about his betrayal…for months now… Despite what happened…I can't just forgive him like that…" Vivi's face softened a little, though it still retained its frustrated air. "I'm willing to try though…" Vivi sniffed again and hid her face away in his suit, crying very softly.

"You better…" She whined softly. "Or else…I'll never forgive you…" Lewis held onto her and rested his chin on her head, letting her cry as long as she wanted to.

Lewis was on the verge of falling asleep, when he heard someone walk up to him. He turned his head to see the nurse from before, smiling very softly.

"Your friend is in recovery right now," She said softly. "He gave the doctor's a real scare… Listen, you can go in there, but I want you to be prepared for what you're going to see." Vivi slowly raised her head, her eyes a little puffy from crying earlier.

"What would that be…?" She asked in a small, hoarse voice.

"Well…" The nurse started, debating how to approach the subject. "After your friend came in, they had to relieve the pressure from the air in his chest. He's on a ventilator right now really as an extra precaution, since his lung reflated itself after the pressure came off. He's currently in a medicine induced sleep, so don't be surprised if he doesn't wake up for a while. His arms have been restrained in case he reacts badly when he first wakes up. He has an I.V. in his arm supplying some much needed fluids. He's still a little pale, but I promise that will go away within an hour." The nurse smiled gently, looking between the two. "Listen… The doctor will tell you more, but I want you to know he'll be fine. He'll be here for a few days to ensure his health, but he's through the worst of it. You don't have to worry about that." Lewis smiled gently, a sense of relief washing over him.

"I…We'd like to go see him…" He said softly. The nurse smiled and turned around, gesturing for them to follow. Vivi stood up first, Lewis following close behind as they went back to Arthur's room. Vivi covered her mouth when she saw Arthur, concern and relief showing on her face at once. She crossed the room in seconds and took his flesh hand, a smile coming across her face when she felt it.

"He's warm…" She commented softly. Lewis smiled weakly and sat down in a chair nearby. The nurse looked from the two of them and smiled gently. She then walked to a nearby cabinet and pulled out a few disinfecting wipes, handing them to Lewis.

"I'm sorry doll face," She said with a grin, "But I can't allow you too close with all the makeup on. It's a health hazard." Lewis nodded gently and took the wipes, slowly scrubbing at his face as all the black and white makeup vanished. He threw the wipes away and looked to Arthur, a small smile playing on his lips.

"You sure know how to scare us…" He mumbled gently, crossing his arms. Vivi gave him a look that wiped the smile completely off his face.

"You are apologizing to him when he wakes up," Vivi said firmly. There was no arguing with her when she spoke like that. Lewis gave in immediately, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.

"I…sort of…want to do more than that…" He said softly, looking at Vivi. "Can you tell me…what's happened recently… Maybe fill me in…on what he's been doing?" Vivi looked to Lewis and tiled her head gently.

"Weren't you following us?" She asked sharply, a little harsher than she meant to.

"I didn't come near when you two were together," He said softly. "After you dove in between us the first time, I put more effort into keeping you out of the way. I didn't want to hurt you by accident…" Vivi sent him a harsh glare, then sighed and returned her gaze to Arthur.

"Where do I begin…?" She asked. Lewis opened his mouth to speak, when they heard the door open and closed. The turned their attention to an elderly looking man in a lab coat, presumably Arthur's doctor.

"Are you the next of kin?" He asked, looking at the both of them.

"I am," Vivi said quickly, knowing that Lewis's darker skin tone would make him harder to believe. The doctor adjusted his glasses, as if unsure whether to believe her or not, before speaking again.

"Arthur is a very lucky man," He said in a calm voice. He looked over at Arthur, then looked down at a notepad. "Most crush victims suffer very severe injuries… broken ribs…hemorrhaging...severe damage to multiple organs…but Arthur avoided a majority of him. He fractured his spinal process, along with two ribs. He has some inflammation and bruising on his back and stomach, but nothing severe. I noticed some earlier injuries on his person and addressed them as well. He has a very mild concussion, though the bleeding suggested otherwise, and he did break his ankle. Fortunately, aside from the scare with a collapsed lung, none of these injuries are fatal, or long lasting." Vivi and Lewis shared a sigh of relief.

"Thank God…" Vivi mumbled before squeezing Arthur's flesh hand. "You scared us big time…" The doctor coughed and cleared his throat.

"Unfortunately…" He said slowly. "I fear I've found some injuries that suggest self-harm." Vivi and Lewis froze, looking back at Arthur. The doctor sighed and came next to Vivi, taking up his flesh arm and showing a number of cuts. "These all appear to be caused by multiple acts of…self-cutting over a short period of time. If that's the case, then I might have to call someone to evaluate his mental health." Lewis crossed the room in a second, gently covering Arthur's wrist with a gloved hand.

"You're mistaken doctor," He said in a quick, calm voice. "Arthur is a mechanic. He gets cut all the time from messing with wires and metal shavings. I assure you that's what caused a majority of these." Lewis smiled softly, hoping to come off as nonchalant. The doctor stared at him long and hard, making Lewis feel very nervous.

"If that's the case…then make sure he starts wearing gloves," The doctor said slowly as he left Arthur's side. "He'll be on the ventilator until tomorrow afternoon… I recommend that the two of you go home and get some rest. You can come visit him tomorrow after he wakes up." He started to walk out the door, then turned suddenly and looked at Lewis. "Oh, and for future reference, the next time you see someone with a possible spinal injury, DON'T move him." The doctor glared angrily at both of them. "You could've made the entire situation worse by doing that." Vivi and Lewis looked down sheepishly.

"We panicked…" Lewis admitted, looking to the floor. "We just…didn't want him to wait any longer for help then he had to." The doctor looked at them and sighed loudly.

"Just be careful from now on," He said in a less aggravated tone. The doctor looked to them once more, before slipping out of the room. Vivi waited until he was gone, then looked up at Lewis.

"Why didn't that surprise you?" She asked, her tone as cold as ice. Lewis felt a chill go down his spine.

"He asked me not to tell you," Lewis said slowly, avoiding her eyes. "In junior high…we met because I caught himself cutting in the locker room… After school, he was jumped by a few bullies who had tormented him, and I took them out. I made him swear he wouldn't hurt himself again, since it would stress out the ones who love him so much." Vivi stared up at him, her eyes lighting up with anger, but then put them back on Arthur.

"He must've started again…after he thought he killed you…" She mumbled softly, lighting tracing her thumb over a fresh cut. Lewis sighed heavily, feeling his stomach drop. He shook his head slowly and returned to his seat, slowly leaning his head against the wall. He closed his eyes and stayed quiet for a long time, before speaking again.

"What has happened in his life since I was gone?" He asked slowly.

**~.~**

**Message from Author:**

**Sorry this chapter took so long to come out. I had to do a lot of research to put this chapter together right. There is so much information needed in this! Wow! I'm very thankful my mom is a registered nurse who worked in trauma for several years. She really helped fill in some holes. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!**


	22. Answers

Arthur woke up in a daze, the white room making him squint. He as dressed in a hospital gown, with a white blanket thrown over him. His hair was messily covering his face, now lacking in hair gel. _Where am I…? Everything is so…bright… _He raised his flesh arm up slowly, rubbing his eyes, then winching from a widespread pain down his back. He moaned loudly and laid back down. _I'm not dead at least…_ Arthur sighed heavily and blinked a few more times, the room coming into focus and making is stomach churn. _I'm in a hospital room… I hate hospitals…_ Arthur shuddered as he looked to the I.V. that was attached to his flesh arm. He sighed gently and slowly sat up again.

The more awake Arthur got, the more aware he was of the pain in his body. His ankle felt like it had exploded, and a dull ache started to pulse through his skull. He let out another low groan, before shifting his legs over the side of the bed. _Bathroom…_ Arthur leaned his weight forward, about to put his feet on the floor when he heard a loud squeak from outside of his room.

"Arthur!" Vivi's voice came in a scolding tone. "You're not allowed to be up!" Arthur turned his head to see the blue clad girl staring at him from the hallway. She was holding a large gift basket in her arms, with an enormous blue bow holding the plastic around it. Arthur looked over at her and smiled faintly.

"Sorry… I have to use the bathroom though…" He defended himself in a weak voice. He was surprised to hear how scratchy it was. "Um…I don't mean to sound dumb…but what happened yesterday exactly…? I'm drawing a blank…we went to the park…?" Arthur laughed nervously as Vivi's face fell.

"You don't remember…?" She asked slowly.

"I think it's the medicine he's on," another voice said calmly. Arthur looked to the side, noticing for the first time the person standing next to Vivi. His eyes widened as they fell on Lewis. He was wearing his signature white shirt with a purple vest over it, matching purple pants and shoes. He had a purple ascot around his neck, and his purple pompadour was shaped perfectly. He was holding a small box in his hands. Arthur's mouth fell open as he stared at Lewis, looking exactly as he used to.

"L-L-Lewis?" He asked, stuttering wildly. _Was it all a bad dream…? He's okay… He's right there… He's not floating…and he has a real face! He's not a skeleton with a missing bottom jaw!_ Arthur looked away and subconsciously rubbed his left arm, realizing immediately that it was metallic. _It did happen… My arm is…but he's…_ "Wah…?" Vivi and Lewis exchanged a look, then Lewis spoke up.

"I…didn't die from being pushed Arthur…" He said softly. Arthur blinked, dumbfounded.

"But…you were a ghost…" He managed weakly.

"He was wearing a costume Arthur…" Vivi said slowly. "Complete with contacts that made his eyes look black instead of white." She shifted the gift basket into one hand and leaned up to grab Lewis's ear with the other.

"Ow…Ow… Vivi…" Lewis protested weakly as she pulled him by his ear into the room.

"He has something to say to you," She said firmly, before letting go of his ear. The taller man rubbed the now pink skin and looked to Arthur, lowering his eyes sheepishly.

"I…I'm sorry…" He mumbled softly. "I was so ticked at you…that I…went out of my way just to terrify you…" He looked at Arthur sternly. "But that was seriously messed up." Vivi elbowed his side, making the larger man winch. Arthur stared at him for a few moments, then lowered his head, sniffing loudly.

"Lewis!" Vivi shouted, "You made him cry!" Vivi set the basket down on the end of the bed and came to the other side of Arthur. "Sh… Arthur…" Arthur surprised her though, but laying back and covering his eyes with his flesh hand, before letting out a weak laugh.

"You…You shouldn't be apologizing to me…" He said through giggles. "I…I should be kissing the ground you walk on… An apology isn't even enough… You…You could've died… I could've killed you…" He continued his laughter, before letting out a loud sob. "I'm so glad you're alive…" Lewis's face softened as he watched the smaller man cry. _He's…so relieved… I didn't believe Vivi earlier…but he is so regretful for what he did… I still don't believe his was possessed…but…I can consider forgiving him now…_ Lewis sighed loudly when Arthur's sobbing stopped.

"You're 22 Arthur," Lewis said plainly. "You really need to stop crying like a child." Vivi glared at Lewis, a threatening look coming across her face, but Arthur's weak laugh made her stop.

"You're right…" He said slowly, before pulling his arm away from his face and sitting up again. "You brought me presents right?" Lewis snorted softly, while Vivi shook her head.

"You are something else," She commented, before handing him a basket. "But yes, we got you presents." Vivi smiled and handed him the basket she had originally brought in. Arthur took the time to untie the bow, which Vivi eagerly took for herself, then starting going through it. There were millions of coupons in there for 50% of a 'Surf's Up Surprise' Pizza, a few new Mario games, and even a tube of Arthur's favorite hair gel. He smiled softly and gently reached out a hand to hug Vivi.

"Thank you," He said softly, then carefully shifted the basket to the side. He sheepishly looked to Lewis. _Did he really get me a gift…?_ Arthur lowered his head a little, before Lewis shoved the box into his arms.

"Go ahead," He said softly. Arthur looked at the cardboard box, a little skeptical, before noticing the small air holes in the top. Arthur carefully removed the lid, his eyes lighting up when they fell on the little hamster on the inside.

"He looks just like Galaham!" Arthur exclaimed. A smile spread across his lips as the little hamster scurried slowly around the box.

"Lewis spent a long time searching for him," Vivi chimed loudly. Lewis blushed a little.

"Well…I heard Galaham died…and I know how much you loved that hamster…so…" Lewis looked aside, embarrassed by the situation. "He's not perfect though… his back feet don't work, but I thought that'd give him more character…" Arthur smiled and looked up to his friend.

"He's awesome," Arthur assured him. Vivi peeked into the box and smiled happily.

"What're you gonna name this one?" She asked curiously. Arthur thought for a moment, before announcing the name.

"Galahad," He said quickly. Vivi made a face, rolling her eyes.

"How creative…" She mumbled.

"That's only one letter off from the last one," Lewis added.

"I know," Arthur said softly. "But I like it. They're the same but different… So the name is Galahad." Vivi shook her head back and forth, unamused, but still grateful. Arthur smiled happily down at the hamster, before an odd, blank expression came to his face.

"Is something wrong?" Vivi asked him, coming a little closer. "Do you want me to call the nurse?" Arthur shook his head slowly, remaining speechless.

"Are you sure?" Lewis asked, mild concern on his face. "The button is right there." Arthur shook his head again.

"Can I ask you something…?" He asked them.

"You just did," Lewis remarked snidely, earning another elbow from Vivi. "I'm just kidding. Go ahead." Arthur looked at the two of them, then let his gaze fall back on the hamster.

"…Did I get squished by a chandelier?"

After Arthur was caught up on the night before, the conversation turned on Lewis. Vivi closed the door and blocked it, her small frame considerably intimidating to the purple haired boy. She crossed her arms tightly and scowled.

"I demand an explanation…for everything…" Vivi said in a scolding tone. Arthur looked over at Lewis, a curious expression on his face.

"Do we have to talk about this now…?" Lewis responded sheepishly. Arthur had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing. _Only Vivi can intimidate him this much…_ Vivi glared at Lewis and simply nodded his head, making the large man sigh loudly. "Fine… Where do you want me to start…?" Vivi bit her bottom lip, pondering what she wanted to know, but Arthur piped up first.

"How did you make Vivi forget about you?" Arthur asked in a soft voice. Lewis turned his head to Arthur, but then looked back to Vivi, since this concerned her more.

"Hypnotism…" He mumbled softly.

"I can't be hypnotized." Vivi declared in a sharp tone.

"In normal circumstances, no." Lewis said carefully. "But… In instances where you're stressed or scared…it's a lot easier to give your brain suggestions…" Vivi's face turned red at his answer.

"So let me get this straight," Vivi's voice was low and unnervingly calm. "You used my fear over you getting hurt to make me forget about you? Are you stupid?!" Lewis grimaced at her tone.

"I didn't want you to be so upset…" He defended himself. "And I couldn't simply erase that last memory, or you would know something was wrong. So I made you forget all of it… That way there wouldn't be any questions, and you wouldn't try to find out what happened… I was terrified you'd call my parents and ask about me. Also, there was no way I was ever going to get close enough to scare Arthur if you knew…" He looked away as Vivi's face turned toxic. It was Arthur's next question that cooled her off.

"What…How badly…were you hurt…?" Arthur asked in a sheepish tone. Vivi and Lewis threw their attention back to Arthur, who had all but hidden under his blanket. Only his eyes and hair were visible. "You don't have to say it…if you don't want to…" Arthur's eyes shone with a mix of worry and guilt, with his small frame shaking slightly.

"Arthur…" Vivi spoke gently.

"I want to know." He responded insistently.

"But…" Vivi mumbled gently.

"Please tell me Lewis…" Lewis looked at his friend and untied his ascot. He slid of the vest and carefully peeled off his shirt. Vivi's cheeks turned red, her eyes falling first on the impressive muscles on Lewis's body, but Arthur paled. His eyes fell on a large, circular scar in his torso. It was located between his ribs, just below where Arthur imagined his lungs were. Lewis turned around, showing a similar scar on his back. This one was larger than the first, but only a little. Arthur could see a few large, long scars on his arms and shoulders, he imagined from getting cut by other stalagmites as he was pierced. Arthur felt his eyes burn, and chose to hide them.

"I was lucky," Lewis said solemnly as he began to pull his shirt back on. "Because of my large frame, my organs were located far enough apart to avoid any really bad damage… Had it been someone smaller…they would've died." Arthur hiccupped from under his blanket, making Vivi remove herself from her position and walk over to Arthur.

"It's okay…" She said soothingly, her hand rubbing Arthur's back. "For once, our giant's size came in handy. This makes up for all the times he's hit his head on door frames and scared away little kids. Come on now… Arthur…" Lewis get dressed again and looked aside. _Why is she giving him all the attention…? I'm the one who was pushed…_ Lewis glanced into the window, faintly seeing his own reflection on the clean surface. _That was a selfish thought… Arthur suffered too…_ He looked towards Vivi and Arthur, who was slowly coming out from under the blanket. _I'm jealous of them… their closeness… Is this how Arthur felt…? He was always smiling though…_ Lewis crossed the room in a few strides and gently placed his hand on Arthur's back, causing the smaller man to let out a small whimper.

"I'm glad it wasn't you…" Lewis said to Arthur. "You're such a small person… You would have died…" Arthur looked at him, then looked down at his metallic arm. Arthur started rubbing it again. _Is that a new nervous tick…? He didn't do that before…the 'accident'…_

"But it shouldn't have been you…" Arthur mumbled softly, catching Lewis a little off guard. "Your parents need you…with the restaurant and all… Vivi would've been so sad… She loves you after all…" Vivi's cheeked flushed a little, a pout coming to her lips.

"I dunno about that," She said in a huffy voice, "I'm pretty mad at Lew-Lew…" She looked away and grumbled something under her breath. Arthur looked at her, concern on his face, but he didn't say anything. "You still have more questions to answer." Vivi turned her gaze to Lewis, making him step back. "Like your floating…"

"Wires," He answered quickly. "I just used a harness… Like a lot of our 'ghosts' used in the past." Vivi glared at him, but the harsh edge was gone.

"What about all your little ghosts?" Vivi asked sharply.

"That's an easier one… The small ones are simply painted glass shone as specific moments. The larger ones were some people in costumes… They agreed to help me after I told them what happened. They only wanted to help me SCARE him though. I was never actually going to hurt Arthur." Vivi tapped her foot slowly, as if she didn't believe him.

"What about the fire, the glowing hair, and the explosion?" She asked him all at once.

"Um…" Lewis mulled it over. "The fire was fake, just thin plastic with air blowing it up, like those fake log fire. It took a long time to make it. I just used some florescent hair paint and styled my hair differently for that effect, and the explosion was just a series of smoke bombs. I might've gotten a little carried away, but it wasn't lethal." Vivi's glare became toxic for a moment, but Arthur's wavering voice made her cool off again.

"I saw all your stuff there…" Arthur mumbled gently. "Were you…living in the haunted house alone?" Lewis looked down to Arthur, saddened by his expression.

"I used it for storage…" Lewis said softly. "I've been staying at hotels and stuff…"

"The same hotels as us, right?" Vivi questioned. "You were following us after we left the first time. You can't deny that…but how did we not notice someone following us in a car?" Lewis looked away sheepishly.

"I…I sort of hitched a ride with you guys…" He said sheepishly. Vivi and Arthur exchanged clueless faces, then looked back to Lewis. "Well… I followed you using a taxi after the first night. I've got the spare key to the van still, so I snuck in after you two went to bed. I took out the cushions in the bottom of the seats and replaced them with some of my things. I also used it as a hiding spot." His face flushed gently, as did Vivi's.

"I was sitting on you…?" She asked in a small voice. "I punched the seat because it was uncomfortable too…"

"You missed anything vital…" Lewis assured her. "You were only ever sitting on my legs really. I kept myself carefully hidden in there… I thought I was caught when Mystery started barking and chewing on the seat, but I lucked out." Arthur took his turn to blush and looked around the room.

"Speaking of which, where is he?" He asked.

"He's with my parents," Vivi answered. "I think that's all my questions…" She looked to Lewis and glared at him again. His face scrunched into a mix of shame and guilt, looking down at her ever so slightly. She tried to keep her glare, but his face made her features soften. Arthur sat up a little, adjusting uncomfortably in his bed.

"I've still gotta use the bathroom," Arthur mumbled softly. He threw the blanket off of himself and adjusted his legs over the bed. He started to move himself off, when Vivi placed her hand on his chest.

"Your ankle is pretty banged up…" She looked over at Lewis. "What did the doctor say? Fractured? Broken? Sprained?"

"Broken," Lewis answered.

"You shouldn't be walking on it," Vivi said insistently, then turned her eyes to Lewis. "You are going to help him to the bathroom." Lewis raised both his hands in front of his chest.

"Me?"

"Yes you," Vivi said sternly. "He's a guy, so it'll be less awkward, first of all. Secondly, and more importantly, he's hurt because of YOU." Vivi crossed her arms, signally that this conversation was completely over. Arthur looked over at Lewis, his face telling him that he wasn't too keen on the idea either.

"It's fine Vivi," Arthur said gently. "I-I really don't have to go that badly."

"Liar," Vivi said quickly, stepping aside and pushing Lewis to Arthur. "Do as I say, or else." Lewis turned to Vivi, a daring look I his eyes.

"Or else what?" He asked, a slight dare in his tone. Vivi lowered her head a little, her hair hiding her eyes slightly. Arthur paled.

"Lew… What have you done…?" He asked in a shaky voice. Lewis didn't take his eyes off a Vivi as he quickly slipped his hand underneath Arthur's arm, helping him stand on his good leg. He used his spare hand to grab the machine currently hooked up to Arthur's arm, he rolled it across the floor and went at Arthur's pace.

"I was just kidding," Lewis said as he helped Arthur to the bathroom. He helped Arthur slip into the bathroom and sighed in relief.

"You can be such an idiot," Arthur said plainly. Lewis shot Arthur an angry look.

"You're one to talk," He grumbled as he helped Arthur get into position, then turned away to let him do his thing.

"I'm not the one who tried to evoke the wraith of Vivi," Arthur responded when he was done, carefully adjusting himself to the sink to wash his hands. "That's a pretty dumb thing to do… She's the one person who can intimidate without using size or strength…" Arthur finished up, so Lewis turned and slid his hand back under Arthur's arm. He grabbed the machine and rolled it carefully, looking ahead.

"She can be pretty scary…" Lewis mumbled gently. He helped the blonde move forward, opening the bathroom door. "She's already mad at me though…"

"Can you blame her?" Arthur asked. He slowly put his hand on Lewis's shoulder, needing more support on the return trip.

"No…" Lewis grumbled.

"Don't worry…" Arthur mumbled softly, his voice growing faint. "She loves you, so she'll forgive you…" Lewis smiled faintly as the blue haired girl came back into his view. She had somehow gotten her hands on a large, bright blue blanket, and was in the process of adding it to Arthur's bed. "She's too loving to do otherwise…" Lewis felt Arthur start to lean on him more.

"Hey, I can't do all the work," He said as he wrapped his arms around Arthur better, tucking it under the other arm too. Arthur didn't respond to him. Lewis turned his head and found that the mostly blonde boy had his eyes closed.

"Did he fall asleep standing up?" Vivi asked after turning to see them. Lewis shrugged and took his free hand off the machine. He carefully picked up his friend, scowling slightly when he held in him his arms. Vivi started giggling loudly. "Princess Arthur." Lewis sighed loudly and laid Arthur back down in bed.

"Only you…" Lewis said as he looked up to Vivi. "Would mock a guy like that…" Vivi smiled happily and tucked Arthur in, careful to leave his flesh arm out. Lewis rolled the machine closer, relieved that the distance wasn't enough to cause problems. Vivi smiled and gently took Lewis's hand, making the giant blush again.

"That's because you two make it easy," She said in a teasing voice. "We might as well let Arthur sleep. I'm still mad at you…" Lewis smiled sheepishly and leaned down slowly, gently kissing her forehead softly.

"I know…" He replied as her cheeks turned pink. "I won't give up easily though." Vivi crossed her arms again and pouted.

"No no. No amount of kisses will make me forgive you." Lewis smiled smugly, as if he was offered a challenge.

"What if hugs are included?" He asked.

"Not good enough," Vivi said sharply.

"How about dinner?" He asked. She looked away from him. "A movie?" She glanced at him now. "And dancing too?" Vivi cracked a smile, then shook her head gently.

"If you do all that, I won't forgive you…" She said gently. "You've gotta get Arthur's forgiveness before that happens…but… It's a start…" Lewis smiled and kissed her cheek softly.

"I'll take it."

**~.~**

**Message~**

**Hey! Sorry this took so long. I've been celebrating with family the past few days, so I really couldn't sit down and type. I've finally got the next one out. Thanks for being so patient! The next one should not take so long to get out.**


	23. Mixed Feelings

Arthur was in the hospital for about a week. Vivi was convinced he could've been out sooner, but the doctor wanted to be thorough. When Arthur was finally allowed to leave, Lewis and Vivi came to pick him up. He was back in his ordinary clothes, his black pants and white, long sleeved shirt. He had on his orange vest again, and had his sleeves rolled up so the one on the metallic arm could avoid getting caught. As a result of hospital policy, he had to be wheeled out of there in a chair. Arthur's face was so red, it nearly shone through his messy hair.

"It's not a big deal," Vivi assured him happily.

"Maybe to you…" Arthur grumbled softly. "But you've never been to the hospital Vivi… The only time you came close was when you fell off the roof."

"When did you fall off the roof?!" Lewis asked, concern filling up his voice.

"Last Halloween," Vivi said matter-of-factly. "I was putting some ghosts along the roof, and I slipped off. I was fine though, cause Arthur caught me."

"You mean I broke your fall," Arthur corrected her, a grumpiness to his tone. "I didn't even know you were up there. Had I stopped short, you could've been really hurt." Arthur looked aside and sighed gently.

"Vivi!" Lewis said in a protective tone. "You said it was Arthur who fell off the roof!" Lewis crossed his arms, obviously unhappy. Vivi continued to push Arthur towards the van.

"If I had told you it was me, you would've freaked out," Vivi responded, pouting a little. "It's not a big deal. I wasn't hurt."

"You could've been!" Lewis exclaimed, looking aside sadly. "That's not something you keep from your boyfriend…"

"It's exactly what I keep from my boyfriend that acts worse than my mother at times," Vivi said teasing. Vivi stopped and turned to Lewis. "You honestly worry way too much." Vivi turned back to grab onto Arthur's chair, to find it empty. She looked ahead to see the near blonde hopping away on one foot towards the van, towards the driver's door.

"No you don't!" Lewis shouted as he took off in a dead sprint. "You will not be driving while your ankle is healing." Despite the good head start Arthur had gotten, Lewis's speed closed the gap in seconds. He slipped in front of Arthur and guarded the driver's door.

"Come on…" Arthur whined softly. "I'm tired of being treated like some damsel in distress. I'm a 22-year-old man for heaven's sake! I can vote, I can drink, and I definitely can drive!" Arthur leaned against the van, and then crossed his arms. "Let me drive my van."

"No," Lewis responded plainly. "This is OUR van, not YOUR van. WE make decisions as a group. Vivi and I have already AGREED to take you off of driving until you're BETTER!" Lewis stood taller, making himself look more intimidating to Arthur. Their eyes met, an unspoken tension increased in power as they both fell silent. Vivi covered her mouth, unsure how to respond. _My boys are arguing… They never argued before… Well they did, but it was the kind that usually made them laugh afterwards. What do I say?_

Arthur looked into Lewis's eyes, seeing the purple irises appear to glow in the blacked out contacts. He blinked first and looked down at his feet, images flashing through his mind that he wished he could forget.

"Whatever," Arthur said sharply, pulling the door open and slipping into the backseat. "It's not like my vote mattered anyway." He pulled the door shut harshly, slamming it, the laid down in the back seat. He stared at the upholstery, refusing to look to the front seat. Vivi bit her lip, forgetting altogether the wheelchair.

"That was bad," She commented softly. Lewis's hands were shaking a little when he turned and grabbed the chair.

"I'll return this," He grumbled as he pushed the chair back towards the hospital. Vivi watched his back until it disappeared into the door, then grabbed the door Arthur had went into and forced it open.

"What was that all about?" Vivi asked in a harsh tone. Arthur looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, then looked back at the seat.

"Why should you care?" Arthur asked in a sharp voice. Vivi almost took a step back, unused to Arthur's tone towards her.

"Arthur that's not even funny," Vivi said sharply, matching his tone and quickly overpowering it. "You know you can't drive when you're injured! You had no problem with it when you sprained your ankle after that case in the woods. Why are you being so stupid right now?" Arthur looked away from her, making her face start to boil. "Arthur, I swear to god if you don't answer me…"

"You'll what?" Arthur challenged, pulling himself into a sitting position. "Never forgive me? Hate me forever? Want me dead? Join the fucking club!" Vivi actually stepped back this time, feeling the color drain from her face.

"What do you mean by that…?" She asked slowly. Arthur's aggravated face softened, and he laid back down in the seat, staring at the upholstery once again.

"It doesn't matter…" He grumbled softly, pulling his flesh arm over his face. Vivi looked down at him, unsure how to process this new attitude. She sighed loudly and closed the door, then walked around to the front passenger and climbed in.

"What kind of medicine are you on…?" Vivi asked in a low calm voice.

"None right now," Arthur answered bitterly.

"What a shame…" Vivi mumbled softly, looking over when the driver's door opened. Lewis was still steaming, Vivi could see it on his face, but he seemed a little calmer. She waited for Lewis to say something, but instead a painful silence followed. The van was started up, filling the silence a little, but Vivi was still prompted to turn on the radio. The first station came to nothing but static, so she changed it. After flipping through a bunch of static and old, slow rock songs she didn't know, she finally settled on what sounded like smooth jazz. Vivi leaned back in her seat and sighed gently, fixing her eyes out the window.

The silence was finally broken by Lewis.

"I'm moving into an apartment," He said in a low voice, barely audible above the radio. Vivi turned her attention to him.

"Really?" Vivi asked, raising an eye brow gently. "I thought you couldn't, because you never had enough money for rent." Lewis looked over at her and smiled sheepishly.

"I saved some up during the…time gap…" He looked over his shoulder at Arthur, who was still looking at the fine lines in the upholstery. "I think if we keep a good income, we'll be able to afford it no problem. I was sort of hoping to get a couple of roommates." Vivi smiled gently at him, leaning more towards him.

"Got anyone in mind?" She asked gently, a small smile playing across her face.

"Yes I do…" He said happily, returning her smile. "My lovely girlfriend of course…" Lewis looked over his shoulder at Arthur, then back in front of him. "And my best friend from high school, assuming he'd want to leave his house of luxury to stay in an apartment." Arthur was sitting up in his seat, leaning over the front seat within seconds.

"Do you…actually mean that…?" Arthur asked in a hush voice, as if they were exchanging secrets. Lewis pulled the van up into the driveway of an apartment complex, and smiled gently.

"Yes I do," He said calmly, before turning his eyes to his friend. "Assuming you're not going to act weird when we're hanging out." Arthur leaned his head down a little, hiding his face behind his mostly blonde hair.

"…I thought…" He mumbled gently.

"You thought what?" Vivi asked, turning her head to him. Arthur appeared to be sulking, so she gently ran her fingers into his hair. "Come on Arthur… We can't help you if you won't tell us what's wrong…" Arthur shook his head gently. Lewis turned himself to better look at Arthur, sighing softly.

"Come on Artie," Lewis said softly, reaching his arm over to rub Arthur's back. The instant his hand touched him though, Arthur jumped back, pressing himself into the back seat. Lewis and Vivi turned to look at him.

"I thought you hated me…" Arthur mumbled. He lowered his head a little more, hiding his face behind his fallen hair. Lewis glanced to Vivi, her mouth forming an 'o' as she looked back at Arthur. Lewis sighed softly and got out of the car. He opened the back door and slid in beside Arthur. Vivi copied him, getting on the other side of Arthur.

"I don't hate you," Lewis said gently.

"B-But I… I almost killed you…" Arthur whimpered gently. "I-I didn't want to… It made me…but…but it used my feelings…my hand to do it…"

"Arthur…" Lewis said gently, glancing to Vivi. "You said you were possessed… You couldn't help it then. There's no way you would do that to me otherwise, right?" Arthur lifted his head and nodded slowly, keeping his eyes down. "Then don't beat yourself up about it. It wasn't really you."

"You'll never forgive me…" Arthur whimpered, hiding his face with his hair again. Lewis looked at him, thinking hard before he opened his mouth again.

"I can accept the fact that you didn't mean to," He said gently. "My trust for you is a little broken…and we'll have to figure out how to fix it as we go along…but I can't hate you for something you didn't do." Arthur looked up again, his eyes starting to turn red.

"But…"

"No buts," Vivi said firmly, running her fingers through Arthur's hair. "You two were best friends before, and you'll be best friends again despite what happened. In the end, we all play a little fault in this." Arthur looked up to her.

"H-How is that?" He asked softly.

"First of all," Vivi said gently. "I'm the one who insisted we go in there, despite all the cases of people dying that we researched. I also didn't listen when you told me you were scared and thought it was a terrible idea. I should have listened." Lewis sighed gently, carefully patting Arthur's back.

"I shouldn't have stepped out on the very edge of a cliff…" He grumbled gently. "I'm just lucky it didn't fall apart underneath me." Arthur looked at both of them, a few tears starting to trail down his cheeks.

"But…But…"

"Hush," Vivi commanded. "Mystery even failed, remember? He's supposed to be our guard dog and warn us of danger, but he didn't."

"Where was Mystery during that?" Lewis asked. "He split off to go with you, but he wasn't around when you helped me out."

"I found him near Arthur," Vivi responded. "He was licking Arthur's arm, as if trying to stop the bleeding. I had to use a scarf to tourniquet it before he bled out." Vivi's eyes met Lewis's, an unspoken question going between them. _How did Arthur lose his arm?_ Arthur sniffed gently, then suddenly threw his arms around his friends' necks and pulled them close.

"You two are…way too good to me…" He whimpered gently, before he started crying. Vivi smiled gently and hushed him softly, while Lewis rubbed his back.

"It's okay…" Vivi assured him.

"Sta andando tutto bene." Lewis added. "It's going to be alright." Arthur hiccupped gently and continued to cry for a few minutes, before it faded into a few gentle whimpers. Vivi smiled and opened the car door. Lewis did the same, but offered out a hand to Arthur. "Let me help you inside. You can rest once we're in there." Arthur sniffed gently, his hand shifting to the inside back of his yellow vest. He pulled it back out and held a small envelope out to Lewis, looking away with his eyes.

"This…These…are from my mom…" Arthur said gently. "She never knew about you… I never told her…so there's one for you too… She…She wanted to give this to…you and Vivi…for being so good to me…" Lewis raised an eyebrow, before taking the envelope. He stuffed it into his pocket and took the near blonde's hand.

"We'll mess with it later," Lewis assured him, smiling gently. "For now, let's get inside. I'm sure after staying in a hospital for a week, you're ready to eat some real food." He pulled Arthur out and carefully held him up. "I'm cooking tonight." Lewis smiled gently, earning a weak smile from Arthur.

"Just skip on the ghost peppers please."

**~.~**

**Hey! Thanks for all the views! I'm over 1000! That's just so cool! And the reviews are even better! I'm so glad you like the story so far! Thank you so much! You guys keep me writing!**


	24. Rummaging Through Boxes

The apartment they had decided to move into was just shy of a house. The moment you walked into the front door, you were greeted by a small hallway with a closet to the right. It was the perfect size for storing coats, umbrellas, and boots as Vivi had pointed out. Once you walked down the hallway a little, you came into a wide open space. On the left were outlets for a cable connection, and on the right was a large space by a wide window. Arthur had decided the left space would make a great living room down the road, while the right was decided to be a dining area.

The space was ended by a small rise in the floor, a small set of stairs in the middle to lead up to it. The raised space looked like a brand new kitchen. There was a large, stainless steel fridge in the middle of the raised space, with dark oak cabinets to the left hanging over matching counters. The counters had slick, black marble tops. On the right of the fridge was a stainless steel stove, then a breakfast bar that matched the counters, with the same black marble top. Lewis noted that they needed to buy some chairs for it, but that didn't seem to be a problem. There was plenty of space open behind the breakfast bar. Vivi determined they could use this space to put down a bed for Mystery along with his assorted toys.

When you follow the space farther left, pass the counters, you found a door that opened up into a long hallway, with four other doors along it. Three of doors opened up to bedrooms of equal sizes, which were empty at the time, while the last one opened into a bathroom. The bathroom had a bath tub that doubled as a shower, though it didn't have a shower curtain, with a white toilet to the side. Across the room was a cabinet with a sink on top, with a mirror hanging over it. The entire apartment followed the same color scheme, which made Vivi groan. The walls were white wherever you looked. Though it made the house look brighter, Vivi was concerned with keeping it clean, since everything shows on white. The floor in the kitchen was lightly colored wood, a few shades lighter of the counters, while the rest of the house was covered in a dull, grey carpet. The bathroom was checkered black and white tile floor, with more white walls. All in all, it was a large space with a lot of possibilities, even more so when they got to talk to the land lord.

He made the mistake of saying they could personalize it all they wanted to.

The kitchen was fully stocked within days, with appliances for those who couldn't cook to use when cravings hit them. The walls in the kitchen were painted a lovely baby blue, which made the room feel more open, while the counters were repainted white. They replaced all the nobs with black counter parts, to make it more appealing, then darkened the wood floor to where it was almost black. They got three stools with light blue seats. Behind it was a puffy red bed for Mystery, with a bowl for food and water with his name on both.

The living room was given yellow painted walls, but the carpet was switched to black. They got a dark brown leather couch for it, with a huge T.V. hanging on the wall. The dining room table was extremely large, make of dark oak with a white tablecloth spread over it. It could seat up to 10 people at once, even more if they adjusted the seats the right way.

The bathroom was left alone, aside from Lewis getting a violet shower curtain to put in it. There were a few light purple bathroom rugs around the toilet and in front of the shower, Lewis's touch. They all drew straws to decide who chose the schemes per room, Lewis being unlucky enough to get stuck with the bathroom, Vivi getting lucky enough to get the kitchen, and Arthur being left with the living room and dining area.

The bedrooms were personalized to each of their liking. Lewis, who loved to cook and got up first most days, got the bedroom closest to the kitchen. His walls were painted a dark purple, almost black, while the carpet was similar to his hair. His large bed was pressed into the far corner, a wooden desk sitting in front of the window. The sheets were white, while the main comforter and pillow case had a matching design; black with purple stripes. The desk was lined with notebooks and assorted pens and pencils, messily showed into a corner.

Across the room was a large wooden bookshelf, lined with mystery novels and chillers, most of which Lewis had already read. He had a dresser next to it, already filled with his clothing, with his football sitting on a small stand in the middle. Lewis had hung his jersey on the wall above it, taking the time to make sure it hung evenly. He had assorted pictures hanging all over his walls, most of which were poorly focused or lit, but showed him with his smiling friends.

Vivi's room looked like a blue explosion, similar to her bedroom at home, except the walls were painted blue as well. She threw her room together in record time, placing the computer in front of the window, and her bed on the opposite end of the room. She had her creepy dolls on a dresser on the far wall, which made Lewis uneasy every time he went into it.

Arthur was turning into a problem from the beginning though. Aside from painting the walls gold and bringing a bed for himself, his room was bare. He didn't even bring sheets to sleep on, only a simple orange blanket and a naked pillow. He had Galahad in a glass cage in the corner of the room, though he often times let him roam about in a little ball. His boxes still pressed against the far wall, untouched from when they moved in here. Once the interior designing had finished, it was expected that he would unpack.

Lewis was the last one to wake up for a change, having been too exhausted from staying awake battling Arthur in Mario Smash Bros until way past 3 A.M. He lost to Arthur in the end, unable to beat him at his favorite game. He was wearing pink sweat pants, a gift from Vivi from a long time ago, and skimped on wearing a shirt. Lewis rose out of bed and moaned softly, quickly walking into the kitchen, just to spot Vivi on the couch, watching T.V.

"Morning V," he said gently, smiling happily. He walked up to the couch and leaned over it. Vivi turned her head and kissed his cheek softly, smiling gently.

"Morning Lew," Vivi returned. She wasn't wearing her headband, so her hair was a mess. She was wearing her favorite blue nightgown with pink polka dots. She raised her head up and gently ran it through Lewis's hair. "Nice bed head." Lewis grinned and ran his fingers through Vivi's hair.

"Like you're one to talk." He said gently as he leaned down and kissed her lips gently. Vivi smiled and turned to face him better. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. He put a hand on the back of her head and tilted it upwards a little more, and kissed her slowly. _Vivi once said my kisses were electric like this._ By the way Vivi's eyes slipped shut, her cheeks flushed, and her arms loosened on his neck, he knew it was true. He hummed softly after breaking the kiss, then glanced around the room. "Where's Arthur?" He asked in a hushed voice. "Is he still asleep?" _Normally, he'll groan and tell us to get a room if he catches us kissing._

"No," Vivi said softly, "He left a few minutes ago. He said he was going to visit his uncle and get spare parts for his arm." Lewis smiled gently.

"Gee, I wonder what we can do while we have free time together." He asked. Vivi thought of it carefully, before answering.

"Well, I was thinking of raiding through Arthur's things," Vivi said bluntly. Lewis had to stifle a sigh, looking away from his girlfriend's gentle eyes. _God I love her…She's so smart, but she can't read the mood worth anything…_ He returned his eyes to Vivi, about to speak up, when he caught an odd gleam in her eyes.

"Is something wrong?" Lewis asked out of instinct. Vivi bit her lip and looked away, sighing gently.

"He still hasn't…unpacked…" Vivi mumbled gently. This caught Lewis off guard. _He finished the renovations weeks ago… Why hasn't he…?_ "I asked him this morning…but he wouldn't tell me." Lewis glanced to the door, almost expecting Arthur to walk in that instant, but he didn't. He turned his eyes back to Vivi, who was now looking at the hallway.

"You…want to mess with his stuff…don't you?" He asked in a slow, careful tone. Vivi turned back to him that gleam back in her eyes. _That's mischievousness…_ Lewis smiled and gently released her from his grip. "Let's go check it out then." Vivi wasted no time, leaping off the couch and circling it at a record pace, shooting up the few stairs and slipping into the hallway. Lewis laughed softly and followed her, walking down to Arthur's room happily.

He walked in to find Vivi had already opened the first box and thrown its contents across the room. Luckily, the first box was filled with nothing but books, so it took Lewis only a few minutes to stack them up neatly on his bed. He heard a familiar squeak and walked over to the glass cage where Galahad was. "Hey little guy," Lewis said gently, reaching his hand in the pet the little ball of fur. He had plenty of food and fresh water, so Lewis wasn't concerned for the little guy. Arthur was good at taking care of animals. He turned around the see Vivi start emptying another box.

"He's got so much music in here!" Vivi said cheerfully as she set down several different CDs on the floor. "He's got such a broad taste!" She smiled and started reading out the artists. "Bon Jovi, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, Lady Gaga, Share, Pink, KISS, Green Day…" She stopped when her stack fell over, turning her attention to stacking them back up normally. Lewis came beside her and picked up where she left off.

"Kid Rock, Three Doors Down, Nickleback, Warrant, Firehouse, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Motley Cruw…" He paused when he came to a CD without a label, turning it over in his hands. "What do you think this is?" He looked over at Vivi and raised an eyebrow. Vivi turned, her eyes shining with interest.

"There's only one way to find out," She said with a smile. They shifted into her room and put the CD into her computer, giving it a moment to load up, before hitting play. What came out was a high quality recording, with Arthur's voice coming out over it.

"Okay… I'm not sure how well this will turn out, but I might explode if I don't… Does this need an explanation? I guess I need to vent anyway, so here it is." There was a brief pause, making Lewis and Vivi look to each other.

"Is this like when he did an audio diary in junior high?" Lewis asked in a hushed tone.

"Could be," Vivi answered as Arthur's voice came back over the speakers.

"Okay… Here goes nothing…" Arthur said before a slow, gentle piano melody started to play over the speakers.

"That sounds like…" Vivi started, trying to think of the words. "I know I've heard it before… I can't place a name…"

"Is that Arthur playing?" Lewis asked Vivi.

"Could be…" Vivi said gently. "He plays a synth, so it's possible. He could be playing the grand piano in his house. I can't place the name of the song though…"

"Maybe it's-" Lewis started, but was cut off by Arthur's voice coming back over the speaker, just a little louder than the piano music.

"Look at the two of you dancing that way,

Lost in the moment and each other's face.

So much in love, you're alone in this place,

Like there's nobody else in the world." Lewis and Vivi gawked at Arthur's singing voice. It was gentle and low, not as low as Lewis's, but it seemed more beautiful like that. The lyrics came out softly at first, as if unsure of the sound, but they steadily grew stronger. It was the first time they heard him sing.

"It's so beautiful…" Vivi mumbled gently, covering up her mouth.

"I was enough for her not long ago.

I was her number one, she told me so.

And she still means the world to me, just so you know.

So be careful when you hold my girl." Arthur's voice paused gently.

"I think I know this song…" Lewis mumbled, but was hushed by Vivi.

"Time changes everything, life must go on.

And I'm not gonna stand in your way…" There was another paused, followed by a small sniffled that sounded over the speaker.

"Is he crying…?" Vivi asked, before Arthur started to sing the chorus.

"But I loved her first, I held her first,

And a place in my heart will always be hers.

She stole my heart and its key,

When she first smiled at me,

And I know my love of her runs deep.

And I prayed that she'd find you someday,

But it's still hard to give her away…

I loved her first." Vivi reached up and paused it, her eyes watering.

"I know this song…" Vivi mumbled gently. "It's… It's 'I Loved Her First' by Heartland…but Arthur changed some of the lyrics… I feel like crying…but I don't know why…" Lewis looked at her and gently patted her back.

"Maybe you'll figure it out if you listen to it to the end…" Lewis offered, before leaning forward and hitting play again. The piano played again for a little bit, before Arthur's voice continued.

"How could that beautiful woman with you,

Be the same freckle face kid that I knew.

The one that I told stories to,

And stayed up with all those nights.

And I knew the first time I saw you with her.

It was only a matter of time.

I loved her first, I held her first,

And a place in my heart will always be hers.

She stole my heart and its key,

When she first smiled at me.

I know my love of her runs deep.

And I prayed that she'd find you someday,

But it's still hard to give her away.

I loved her first." The piano music slowed down to a stop, Arthur's voice shaking a little, barely above a whisper.

"She stole my heart and its key,

When she first smiled at me.

I know my love of her runs deep

You'll never know what I'm going through,

Cause that miracle smiles up at you.

I loved her first." Vivi sniffed and wiped at her eyes.

"That was so beautiful…" She mumbled gently. "Even with him changing the lyrics… They felt so much more personally…" Lewis looked at her and pointed to the screen.

"There's more…" He mumbled, as Arthur let out a loud sigh over the speakers.

"I can't believe I just sung that…" Arthur's voice said over it. "But I feel better now… Lewis asked Vivi out today… They're perfect for each other…I know that… They have so much in common, so it was only a matter of time…but it still hurts… I… I really love Vivi…" Vivi let out a soft gasp, looking at Lewis with wide eyes.

"H-He…" Vivi began, but Arthur continued to talk.

"Then I heard this song come on over radio on my way home, and it almost made me cry. I couldn't help myself… Before I knew it, I was messing with the lyrics and looking up the sheet music online…and here it is. I'm sure this is going to get hidden away or maybe even thrown out, but this is how I felt… I…loved her first but…as long as she's happy, then I can't complain too much. I swear if Lewis hurts her…though I doubt he will, I'll make him regret it." The audio ended after that, and was followed by a long silence. Vivi sniffed gently and looked up at Lewis. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find anything to say. Lewis talked for her.

"No… I didn't know either…" He mumbled gently. "I don't know…why he never said anything though…" Lewis looked down at Vivi and wiped the tears that started to fall.

"I didn't want to upset you two," came a gentle voice from the hallway. Lewis and Vivi both snapped their heads around to see Arthur, sheepishly standing in the open doorway. "It would've been weird to say something, since you guys were dating. You two were always so cheerful together, so the last thing I wanted to do was ruin that. You weren't supposed to hear that…" Arthur turned away and disappeared down the hallway. Vivi was the first to react, taking off out of her chair and chasing after him.

"Arthur!" She shouted as she turned the corner. The near blonde almost into the living room when she hugged his arm. "Don't run off!" Lewis rounded the corner and walked around to face him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lewis asked gently. "Even afterwards?" Arthur looked away, trying to avoid Lewis's gaze.

"You wouldn't have wanted to hang out with me anymore…" He mumbled gently. Lewis raised an eye brow.

"What makes you say that…?" Lewis questioned.

"That's…what I would've done…" Arthur mumbled still avoiding his eyes. Lewis stared at him for a moment, before letting out a loud groan.

"You're an idiot," Lewis mumbled before moving to sit on the couch. "I'm not you, Arthur. You need to quit assuming I would act the same way you do…" Vivi pulled Arthur down by his arm to sit on the other side of the couch, settling herself in between the two.

"I'm always going to be your best friend," Vivi said gently. She leaned up and kissed Arthur's cheek softly. "I'll never stop being your friend." Arthur blushed gently and looked away.

"Do you…really mean it…?" He asked, looking at both of them.

"Of course," Vivi said happily.

"Nothing has changed about our relationship." Lewis added, smiling.

"I'll be your friend no matter what relationship Lewis and I might be in." Vivi added. Lewis let a crooked smile cross his lips.

"Are you suggesting you'll break up with me someday?" Lewis asked. Vivi turned to him, puffing out her cheeks gently.

"You know what I mean," She grumbled gently. Lewis smiled and leaned down gently, kissing the corner of Vivi's mouth. The smaller girl smiled softly at him. She ran her fingers through his hair and stretched up to kiss Lewis back. Lewis scooped Vivi up easily and placed her in his lap, cupping her face gently as he leaned in for a much deeper kiss. Vivi's eyes fluttered, struggling to keep open as her hands found his shoulders. Lewis broke away momentarily, giving Vivi a chance to catch a quick breath before kissing her again. Her eyes slid shut, resigning to her fate, as she leaned into the kiss more. The moment was ruined by a whine from the other side of the couch.

"Get a room already," Arthur grumbled looking away. "I don't wanna see that." Arthur's cheeks were flushed gently, embarrassed by them. Lewis looked up and chuckled gently, while Vivi caught her breath.

"W-We've got to set your room up first…" Vivi said softly, shifting gently in Lewis's lap. Arthur let out a loud grumble and got off the couch, circling around towards his room.

"You are not helping," Arthur said firmly, a blush settling on his cheeks. The two looked at each other, a mischievous look crossing their faces.

"You're hiding more embarrassing stuff," Vivi said as she looked to Arthur. "Aren't you?" Arthur fell silent, then dashed towards his room. Lewis and Vivi jumped to their feet and immediately came running after him. Arthur managed to slip into his door and shut it, bracing himself against it. Vivi turned the doorknob before Arthur could lock it, and Lewis pushed on the door. It cracked a little, but Arthur wouldn't let it open any more than that.

"Be gone servants of evil!" Arthur squeaked loudly, shoving back against the door with all his weight. It was amazing how much strength was in his little frame when Arthur was motivated.

"Don't be that way Arthur!" Lewis shouted, trying to contain his laughter.

"It's two against one Arthur," Vivi commented loudly. "You're bound to give up before we do!" Vivi pushed against the door, but it didn't move at all.

"Over my dead body!" Arthur squeaked again, the embarrassment deep in is voice.

"That can be arranged," Vivi shouted, adding more weight into it. Arthur pushed back harder, keeping them at bay.

"It can't possibly be that bad," Lewis commented as he tried to put his foot in the door. Arthur pushed back a little harder and almost closed the gap completely. "When did he get so strong?" Lewis looked down at Vivi expectantly.

"The metallic limb," Vivi answered plainly. "Which is cheating!"

"Two against one is cheating," Arthur replied. "I'm just even the playing field." Arthur pushed against the door harder and pushed it shut, managing to lock it before Vivi could turn the doorknob again. Vivi pouted and kicked the door gently.

"Oh no fair…" She grumbled softly. She looked up at Lewis, who was leaning forward to press his ear against the door. She followed suit, pressing her ear against the door too. They heard what sound like a mess of shuffling.

"Where is it…" Arthur grumbled to himself. They heard more CDs clatter to the floor, then what sounded like a flourish of papers going everywhere. Arthur grumbled softly, then it sounded like he was gathering up the papers. Lewis looked at Vivi and smiled mischievously. Vivi smiled and ran to the bathroom, coming back with a safety pin and a nail file.

She got the door open with ease, and the two of them stepped in before Arthur could stop them. Arthur panted gently, most of the CDs now stacked up against the wall. Lewis looked around suspiciously, an eyebrow raised.

"What did you hide?" Lewis asked curiously. Arthur made a small whimpering sound and went to sit on his bed.

"I d-didn't hide anything…" He mumbled gently, looking at the floor.

"You're the worst liar in the world," Vivi declared as she went over to the boxes. She started shifting through his belongings, stacking clothing, books, tools, and notebooks into separate neat mounds. She finished unloading the boxes and sighed loudly. "I'm not finding anything." She declared to Lewis. He in turned looked to Arthur, who was still looking at his feet.

"I told you I didn't hide anything," Arthur mumbled gently. His eyes slowly came to meet Lewis's before looking down again. Lewis examined him, then slowly stepped towards Arthur. He in turn pushed himself against the back of his bed. "W-What're you-?" He started to ask before Lewis grabbed the blanket he was on and pulled. Arthur was pulled aside a little as a flurry of papers suddenly flew into the air, having been hidden underneath the blanket. Arthur leaped into the air and snatched at them, being no match to Lewis in reach. Lewis grabbed most of them in the air, Vivi gathering the ones that fell to his feet. Arthur's face started to red as Lewis examined the first page.

"Is this a poem…?" Lewis asked. The near blonde bolted out of the room, his face starting to resemble a tomato. They both took off after him and grabbed an arm a piece. Vivi ran around to hug him, while Lewis playfully messed up his hair.

"Oh I doubt you could get any redder," Vivi said softly, giggling ever so gently.

"You get embarrassed over such silly things…" Lewis said gently, a small smile on his lips. He looked at the poem, reading over the faded old letters. "This one's an old one… You were still in junior high when you wrote this…" He cleared his throat, preparing himself to read it.

"Roses are red,

While Vivi is blue.

I'd give you my fortune,

To be close to you.

You always make me laugh,

And cheer me up when I cry.

You're always close,

Though I don't know why.

I'm whimpy and weird,

And I'm easily scared,

While you're happy and cheerful,

And always prepared.

Your voice is so sweet,

And smooth as honey.

I'd do anything for you,

Even give away my parent's money.

Roses are red,

But I'm feeling blue,

Cause I'm not good enough,

To be with you." Lewis looked up to see Arthur was turning a shade of red he'd never seen before.

"T-Th-That was w-way b-b-before I-I e-even m-met you Lew-Lewis," Arthur stuttered out, overwhelmed by embarrassment. Vivi hugged him again and hushed him softly.

"I think we broke him Lew," Vivi mumbled, looking over Arthur's shoulder at him.

"We've done it before," Lewis said confidently. "I'm sure we can put him back together again."

"When have we ever broke him before?" Vivi asked sharply, looking at Arthur as he sputtered something incoherently.

"Don't you remember?" Lewis asked, raising an eye brow. "When we were in junior high, we bought him a bunch of valentines and filled his locker, but he was so embarrassed by the avalanche that we had to take him home."

"I wouldn't qualify that as broken," Vivi said gently.

"Okay then, fine," Lewis replied. "How about the time his mom showed us his baby book? And you ran up to Arthur with a picture of him as a naked baby and told him he was so cute?" Arthur suddenly squirmed and took off out of the room.

"D-D-DEMONS!" Arthur shouted as he ran into the bathroom and locked the door. Vivi and Lewis looked at each other, both trying hard to hold back laughter.

"I-I'll start cooking dinner…" Lewis offered, choking down a laugh.

"I'll work to coax him out of the bathroom," Vivi stated, doing a better job than Lewis. She gave Lewis a gentle kiss on his cheek then went to the bathroom. Lewis smiled and shook his head slowly.

"My best friend and my girlfriend…are the two most wonderful people in the world." Lewis smiled, then turned when he heard a bark from behind him. "As well as our unique, glasses wearing dog Mystery."

Arthur did eventually come out of the bathroom, dinner was ate, and his bedroom was put together. Vivi got him some yellow sheets and a matching pillowcase. A mechanic's work desk was placed by the window, along with a small bookshelf, and a dresser. Galahad's little cage was placed on top of the dresser, the little guy seemingly proud of his newer, higher location. Dinner was fantastic, and they all laughed and talked about old times.

Until Vivi brought out another old poem. Will they ever learn?

**~.~**

**I just want to clarify this one more time. The song Arthur sung is called 'I Loved Her First' by Heartland. I thought it would work perfectly after hearing it on the radio. You can look up the actual lyrics to see what I changed for the purpose of this chapter. The poem was something I came up with on the fly, so I should be good there. Thanks for keeping up so far! I thought a cute chapter like this was needed. I would put up pictures of the rooms if I had the ability to create them! If someone wants to have a go at it, be my guest! Thanks again!**


	25. Another Day

Early morning brought about a plague that was hard to escape. Lewis, ever the early bird, easily awake an hour before it was needed and started brewing coffee, then went to making breakfast. He was already dressed for the day, his hair combed and teeth brushed. He hummed softly as he flipped a pancake in one pan, while frying bacon in another. He stacked up 10 pancakes and 12 strips of bacon, before scrambling 6 eggs and adding a ton of cheese to it. Since his friends lacked grace in the morning, breakfast was always something basic.

Arthur came out next, a rare feat since the little man loved sleep, shuffling slowly to the breakfast bar. He had apparently worn a black short sleeved shirt to bed, and complimented his lazy look by wearing orange pajama pants with black stripes on the outer sides. Arthur's metallic arm was attached, a practice he did out of habit, and his hair was messily hiding his face. Arthur laid his head down and grumbled something Lewis couldn't understand, but he knew his friend well. He sat down in the middle chair today, since he had first pick. Lewis grabbed a mug out of the cabinet and poured it almost to the brim with the fresh coffee. He set it down in front of the near blonde, who slowly reached out a flesh hand to grab it.

Arthur's movements were slow and groggy. He held the hand of the mug with his flesh hand, picking the mug up with his metal hand to avoid getting burned. He pulled himself upright slowly and lightly blew on the coffee, before bringing it to his mouth and sipping it slowly. Arthur closed his eyes, enjoying the bitter taste that warmed his insides and made him feel more alert. He set the mug down after downing half of it, then leaned back in his chair and hummed gently.

"Good coffee…" Arthur mumbled gently, the tiredness leaving his face. Lewis smiled and showed the plates of food towards him, setting a clean on down in front of him, along with a fork.

"You'll like the food too," Lewis assured, before looking back at the hallway door. "I wonder if she stayed up extra late last night…" He returned his eyes back Arthur, who was more responsive now.

"I think so…" Arthur answered gently. "She sounded like she was on her computer when I fell asleep. I could hear her furiously typing…" Arthur took another slow sip of coffee, smiling more. He pulled three pancakes on his plate, a third of the bacon and a third of the eggs. He ate almost lazily, stabbing the first pancake with fork and holding it upside down to eat it. Lewis sighed and shook his head. A smile crossed his face when he heard a loud thump come from down the hallway. Lewis grabbed another mug and filled it always with cream and added two sugar cubes, before pouring the coffee on top and stirring it with a spoon. He held it out as Vivi entered the room, grabbing the mug and finding a seat next to Arthur.

Vivi was dressed in her almost famous nightgown, but she was wearing fuzzy blue slippers as well. Her hair was a mess, frizzing in random directions like it had a mind of its own. Vivi's eyes were a little red, sure fire sign that she hadn't slept very much the night before, and she scowled. She took a sip of coffee, smiling slightly at the taste, then downed the entire cup. She took the seat to Arthur's right, a grouchy smile plastered to her face.

"How'd you sleep last night?" Lewis asked, earning a frown from Vivi.

"I'm not talking until after I get a second cup…" Vivi grumbled. Lewis simply smiled and complied, handing the cup back to her and watching as she sipped it with more care than the first. A calm smile crossed her lips when she set it down, a gleam shining in her eyes. "I was up looking for a case." Arthur let out an unhappy groan, though Vivi was undeterred. "I found one too. A haunted house. The owners swear it's haunted by the old resident. They bought the house because it was a steal on the market, but they can't get anyone to go inside to fix it up." Vivi smiled at Lewis, waiting anxiously for him to ask her about it. Lewis shook his head and set a plate down in front of her, with a fork beside it.

"I'll ask if you eat." Lewis said gently as he went to sit on the other side of Arthur. He brought a plate and fork for himself, grabbing a couple of pancakes and some bacon before Vivi piled everything else onto her plate. She had 5 pancakes all to herself, making a layered sandwich out of them, the bacon, and the scrambled eggs. Vivi added syrup on top, before attacking it almost viciously. Her plate was empty before Arthur was even halfway through. Lewis chuckled softly.

"Well?" Vivi demanded as she looked over at Lewis.

"Fine then," He replied, taking a bite out of one of his pancakes. "What did you find out about the house?" Vivi was all too delighted to answer.

"It turns out, the last owner of that house shot herself in the head!" Vivi almost screamed, making Arthur cough a little in surprise. "Madame Jezabel married into wealth, living in the house with her husband. One day though, he left her there with nothing to her own name. She had to sell precious jewels and heirlooms to keep the house, since she wanted him to return to her someday. When there was nothing left of value for her to sell but his favorite hunting gun, she supposedly went down to the basement and put the barrel in her mouth."

"You sound way too excited about this," Arthur grumbled gently.

"Hush," Vivi said quickly. "That's not the best part. The best part is that she had a child that went missing! It didn't go with the dad, but no one found him with the mother either. He just vanished!"

"I'm not seeing how this is exciting…" Arthur mumbled again, finishing off his food.

"It could be a REAL haunting!" Vivi chimed happily. "In a REAL haunted house! Where people REALLY died! I want to see it for myself!"

"Hold on," Lewis cut in. "What are the evidences that there's a ghost? You missed the important part." Arthur sighed loudly and lowered his head. _Why do both of my best friends have to be so obsessed with dead things?_

"I almost forgot," Vivi said gently, pulling out a piece of paper with sloppy handwriting. "There have been reports of loud banging throughout the house, furniture being moved about, random items being thrown and broken, 'ghostly' moans, and even sightings of a woman wearing a white dress. They said Madame Jezabel was wearing a white dress when she was found! This could be the real thing! Can we go? Can we? Can we?" Vivi was practically bouncing in her chair. Lewis smiled and looked to Arthur.

"It's up to him," Lewis said gently. Arthur leaned up and stretched his arms over his head.

"I can't say no to V…" Arthur grumbled, looking towards Lewis. "And you know it." Vivi squeaked and leaped out of her chair, taking off towards her room.

"I'll get the directions!" She shouted.

"Don't forget to get dressed," Lewis added before he heard her door shut. He turned his gaze back at Arthur, who was still stretching, curiously examining the metallic arm. "I've got to admit, that thing's pretty cool." Arthur looked at Lewis with his eyes only, leaning back in his seat a little for a better stretch.

"It's functional, so that's all the matters," Arthur said quickly, looking away once the words were out of his lips.

"You never told me how that happened…" Lewis said gently, his gaze remaining on the arm. _He told Vivi that a monster bit it off… I wonder if he'll tell me the same thing…_ Arthur stiffened a little, as if the concept itself scared him. He was very slow to answer.

"It was…bitten off…" Arthur mumbled gently, lowered his arms slowly to place them in his lap. "After…After what happened…" Arthur's eyes darted towards him, then away again. _He still doesn't know how to refer to it…_ "The…accident… A large monster came up from behind me and bit it off." Lewis looked at the arm still, not making Arthur look him in the eyes. He knew how Arthur couldn't lie to him when he looked him in the eyes. He knew the contacts he wore reminded him of the ghostly façade he had assumed after the accident, and he used it to his advantage. Arthur was known for dodging topics he was uncomfortable with.

"What did the monster look like?" Lewis asked. His eyes slowly went up the arm, looking to where the skin disappeared under the sleeve. _I've never seen how it attaches to the skin…now that I think about it…_ He remained quiet, waiting for Arthur to reply.

"I…I'm not sure exactly…" Arthur mumbled gently. "The vision in my left eye was gone, until after the arm was removed…but it looked like…a gigantic white fox…with six long tails…" Lewis brought his eyes up to Arthur's, making the man flinch.

"Are you sure?" Lewis asked, keeping his eyes on Arthur's. The near blonde bobbed his head up and down in reply, unable to form words at this point. Lewis bit his lip. _It's like what Vivi said… He truly thinks he was possessed in the cave… He truly believes in what happened to his arm… I can't call him a liar when he truly believes it…_ Lewis lowered his gaze back to the arm, sighing softly. "That must have stunk," He commented gently as he reached out and grabbed the sleeve. "Then you went through the trouble of making yourself a new limb, with only one hand. If I had known, I would've came back to help you." Lewis lifted up the sleeve a little, noting that the metal ran a good amount pass the short sleeve.

"You stink with mechanics," Arthur said flatly. "You can't even change the oil in the van on your own. My arm is a complicated work of biotechnology that exceeds today's current standards. I wouldn't have let you come near it during the construction phase." Lewis cracked a smile, Arthur chuckling gently.

"We can't all be gifted in that area," Lewis mumbled as he pulled up the sleeve more. He saw where the metal met skin, admiring the housing that bonded the two. His eyes ran over the top of it, when a white scar caught his vision. "What is…?" Lewis began to ask, when Arthur jerked away suddenly and got out of his chair. Lewis looked up and watched him go towards the hallway.

"I better get ready," Arthur said quickly. "Vivi would kill me if I was the reason we were held up for this mystery." Arthur looked back at Lewis, a nervous smile on his face. "And you need to eat. I'll be ready in a few minutes." He slipped away towards his room quickly, leaving a baffled Lewis sitting alone. He turned his head when he heard Mystery whine softly from behind him, mere inches from his seat.

"That worries me too…" Lewis mumbled as he extended out his hand to pet the little dog. _You can write a book on all the secrets he tries to keep…but this one…might just top all the rest._

Vivi shot out of her room shortly after, fully dressed in her favorite blue get up. She had worked magic with her hair, getting it to lay calmly on her head, with her bangs gently held back with her head band. She was cheerful as usual, a map rolled up in her hand as she approached Lewis. She had her backpack on her shoulders, gearing and ready to leave that instant.

"Where's Arthur?" She asked quickly. Lewis started to answer, when the blonde rounded the corner.

"I'm right here," Arthur said solemnly, rounding the corner. He was wearing his long sleeved, white shirt, the sleeves down for a change, with his hunter orange vest over it. He traded out the pajama pants for his favorite pair of black jeans as well. He had his backpack as well, though it looked fit to burst, with Galahad in his glass cage in his hands. "I called Uncle Lance. He said he'll watch Galahad while we're away."

"Sounds good, we'll make a quick stop on the way," Vivi reassured.

"What all do you have in there?" Lewis asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"The usual…" Arthur mumbled. "Flashlights, batteries, a radio, snacks, drinks, a couple of cameras, and a sleeping bag at the very bottom." Vivi grinned gently, whipping her backpack in front of her and digging around.

"I want to try something," Vivi mumbled before pulling up three Walky Talkies. She handed one to Arthur and another to Lewis, keeping the last one to herself. "I know we all have cellphones, but 9 times out of 10, Arthur's phone will die or he'll forget it. So, I want us to have these as a good backup plan." Arthur looked at it hesitantly, before putting it in an inside pocket in his vest, being careful not to drop the glass cage. Lewis slipped his in his front pocket. Vivi placed hers in an outer pocket of her backpack, within easy reach of the blue girl.

"I guess this will be fine…" Arthur mumbled, before Vivi shot out the door.

"To the haunted house!" She chimed as she ran out the door and slipped easily into the van. Mystery barked and followed her, hopping into the open door. Lewis smiled softly, before turning his gaze to Arthur. The near blonde paled a little, switching his attention to his shoes.

"Yeah… to the haunted house…" He almost sighed, before he started looking towards the door.

"Are you really not going to tell me what that was?" Lewis asked, his voice a little harsher than he intended. Arthur froze in place, keeping his eyes fixed on something outside of the building. He took a deep breath, before taking another step forward.

"Why ruin all the fun?" Arthur asked softly, before slipping out the door. He crawled into the backseat. Lewis could do nothing but stare after him. _Why won't he tell me…? He's being dodgy again…like when he was being bullied in high school, and he kept it from me for an entire month… What could be so bad that he's hiding it from me?_ He snapped out of it when horn was honked, Vivi leaning partially out of the window.

"We're going to leave without you Lew!" Vivi shouted playfully.

"I'm coming!" Lewis almost shouted as he walked out of the apartment, locking the door behind him before climbing into the driver's seat. He glanced back at Arthur, who was flopped over in the back seat with Mystery sitting on his stomach. _He should know better than to keep secrets from me… I have my ways of finding out._

"We'll be heading north," Vivi chimed as she showed Lewis the map.

"Just tell me when to turn," Lewis grumbled as he turned his eyes to the road. _At least that part about Arthur hasn't changed._

The drive was filled with talk of the house, mostly Vivi shooting off theories as to who was faking another haunting. With all their experience with hoaxes, it was no wonder Vivi was quick to cut down a lot of the rumors. The sun was setting as they came up on the house.

The haunted house was abandoned in the middle of nowhere, and was really easy to find. The house was two story and was once colored white, but now the rotting wood looked a dull grey and sagged on one side. The porch circled the front of the house, elegant white columns now cracked were holding them up. There was an old rocking chair, covered in a thick layer of dust, just sitting by the door. There were several windows on the house, all of which were cracked or broken, and there was a warning sign nailed to the front door.

"I think I'll wait in the van," Arthur mumbled softly, shifting to the far side.

"Okay then," Vivi said as she hopped out of the car. Mystery came out the door and followed her eagerly, while Lewis came out of his door. Vivi leaned in and said in a soft voice. "If you're really so keen on being alone, then we can't stop you." Vivi and Lewis walked away from the van, Vivi holding up three fingers, then two, then one, before Arthur sprang out of the van door.

"Don't leave me out here alone!" Arthur almost wailed as he ran to catch up to them. He was shaking fiercely, hugging his arms as he came close. "That wasn't nice…" Vivi giggled softly as she bravely walked to the front door. She pulled it open with ease and beckoned them to come inside. The house was layered in a thick coating of dust, making Arthur sneeze almost immediately on entering. They took a moment to get flashlights out and ready, before the group moved forward, coming into an open entryway. Vivi immediately ran to a nearby wall, holding her flashlight on a picture.

"That must be Jezabel…" Vivi mumbled. It was a picture of a beautiful woman, wearing a red dress. The woman has black hair that curled beautifully around her face, with light green eyes that shone like emeralds. She was perfectly trim, with an award winning smile on her face. She looked like the kind of woman who could have whoever she pleased, without any effort at all. "Her ghost is supposedly haunting this place… I wonder what's keeping her here then…" Vivi stepped away and looked at the two boys with a mischievous grin.

"Oh man…" Arthur mumbled, before scooping Mystery under his arm and walking towards a staircase. "Don't bother saying it. I'll take the upstairs. You guys can keep the downstairs." Arthur disappeared up the stairs, Mystery whining from being carried.

Lewis and Vivi exchanged an uncertain look, speechless from what just happened.

"Since when…does Arthur go off willingly with Mystery?" Lewis asked, looking over at Vivi.

"That caught me off guard too…" Vivi mumbled, looking to Lewis. "But…now that I think about it…after you disappeared, he would always insist that I go with Mystery, while he went alone. The only time he was with Mystery was when I ditched the two of them." _I thought it was weird when I found Arthur alone in the woods…but I thought maybe it was because he got separated by mistake… He actually chose to go alone…? That's new…_

"But I'm back," Lewis said gently. "We could've split up some other way. He could've gone with you, or even with me. He didn't have to go with Mystery. The little dog is brave and all, but what damage could he really do?" Lewis sighed, gently scratching his head.

"Well… Maybe that's why he paired you with me…" Vivi mumbled, looking aside gently. "You're the strongest of the group…and he always puts others before himself…" Lewis let out a long sigh, shaking his head slowly.

"He should be more considered of his own safety…" Lewis grumbled softly. "He's the one who always gets kidnapped… He's been kidnapped by all the fake ghosts and monsters, and even by a cult once… He's just begging to be taken this time…" Vivi sighed too, shaking her head slowly.

"Well, if this place is really haunted, we won't have to worry about it." Vivi smiled up at Lewis, shining her flashlight down the hallway. "Now… Where is that basement?"


	26. Unexplained

The couple made their way to the kitchen, quickly opening the door that lead down to the basement. Lewis went first, testing out the old stairs with his weight before Vivi could follow behind him. They descended down into the basement, almost swallowed up in the dark.

"So where did the reports say the body was?" Lewis asked as he looked around.

"Far corner," Vivi replied quickly, before pulling ahead and walking away. Lewis stumbled slightly as he rushed to catch up to her.

"Slow down Vivi," Lewis said gently. "We have all night. I'm pretty sure ghosts stay active while the sun is down." He smiled gently and had to break into a short sprint to catch up to the girl. How she managed to move so fast with her short legs, he would never know.

"I know…but I just want to cover as much as possible as quickly as possible," Vivi said quickly, moving a little faster. "Arthur's by himself…basically, and the longer he's like that, the more worried I get… You know he's more prone to getting kidnapped than a virgin girl in a white dress. It worries me…" Lewis followed her back to the far corner, where they found what looked like a large blood stain on the back wall. Lewis watched as Vivi placed her fingers to the dried liquid, carefully examining it up close. "It's dry… Usually in fake hauntings, someone will layer fresh blood every night so anyone wandering inside will think the ghost is 'reminding people of their death' or some nonsense. Either no one has been here, or they aren't very thorough." Vivi started searching through her backpack, pulling out the papers. She started shuffling through the materials, an unsure expression on her face. _Since Arthur is far away…maybe I can get some information from Vivi…_

"Hey…" Lewis said gently, getting only a small grunt in acknowledgement. "I need to ask you something…about Arthur…" Vivi stopped messing with her papers and looked up at Lewis, sensing the seriousness in his tone.

"What about Arthur…?" Lewis thought for a moment, thinking of how to approach it carefully.

"Has he…been acting weird since I left…?" He asked, getting a loud scoff from Vivi.

"Of course he has," Vivi almost snapped. "He's been a guilty nervous wreck! Obviously he's acting weird!" Lewis winched a little.

"That's…not what I meant…" He mumbled, avoiding her gaze. "I meant…does he have any odd habits…that he didn't have before…" Vivi's glare was still burning into the side of his head, but she did answer him.

"He picked up a few…" Vivi grumbled, looking away from him. "He insists I have the better equipment and better situation, no matter what. He's gone without a flashlight so many times… I'm starting to think he can see in the dark, cause he's pretty good at not getting lost."

"Maybe the flashlight was a handicap," Lewis mumbled.

"He doesn't swim anymore," Vivi grumbled softly.

"He doesn't swim?" Lewis asked. "He used to swim like a fish!" Vivi spared him a glance, before turning away and walking towards the other far corner.

"He doesn't like taking off the arm to get into the water…" She mumbled gently, finding a few dusty boxes in the corner. "He hates taking off his shirt too… I think he's self-conscious… I guess he's nervous about me seeing the stump for some reason…"

"Have you ever seen it?" Lewis asked, all too pleased she approached the subject on her own. "His arm anyway… Have you ever seen the…stump?" Vivi looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes seemingly staring through him.

"Why do you ask?" _Why does she have to be so sharp?_ Lewis looked away and laughed nervously.

"Just curious…"

"Bull," Vivi said flatly. "Why. Do. You. Ask. Lewis?" The blue clad girl was determined to get an answer out of him, and nothing stopped her when she was determined. Lewis let out a long sigh.

"I didn't want to embarrass him…" He mumbled, looking away. "But…I saw some scarring when I looked at his arm earlier…but before I could register what it looked like, he ran away…" He looked at Vivi, seeing a hard expression come across her face.

"What are you implying Lewis?" Her eyes were staring hard, but he could tell she was thinking the same thing he was.

"He hasn't been that way…since the day when I found all the cutting scars on his wrists…" He mumbled gently. "He jerked his hands away and tried to hide them. I already knew he'd done it, but at the thought of me seeing them, he freaked out. I think he's ashamed…" Vivi covered her mouth, her eyes widening.

"You don't think he…" She let her voice trail off, searching for the words desperately.

"I think…so…" Lewis added, avoiding saying what they both thought. _He cut himself on the stump too._ Lewis jerked up when he heard Mystery's loud barking, following by the sound of four paws coming down the stairs. "Fuck…" Mystery ran to Vivi, pawing at her legs and whining loudly.

"Oh no…"

Arthur shone the flashlight as he walked down the hallway slowly. _This is horrifying… Why did I do that…?_ He walked a few more steps forward, sighing at himself. _Because those two are safer with each other, than with me…_ Arthur heard a whine, decidedly setting Mystery back down on his feet. The little dog shook for a moment, before walking towards one of the doors. Arthur, more wearily, followed the dog and opened it.

The room looked like a child's bedroom, though it was covered in dust and cobwebs. There was a small bed in the corner of the room, and the floor was littered with old toys. There was an assortment of blocks, train tracks, cars, and even a few teddy bears lying around randomly. Arthur sneezed softly, the dust bothering him, as he carefully walked into the room.

"Vivi did say there was a child involved…" Arthur mumbled as he walked to the bed. _The covers are old…but it doesn't look like there is as much dust on it…_ Arthur turned an examined some of the toys on the floor, noting that there wasn't as much dust on these either. "She didn't say the kid died though…only disappeared…" He shifted around and started to leave the room, when he heard sound. **_Click. Click. Click._**

He shone the flashlight in front of him, slowly walking out the door. Mystery started barking as he followed at Arthur's heels. He rounded the corner, heading towards the source of the noise. "Hello? Is anyone there?" _It sounds like someone tapping against wood… _"Hello?" Arthur opened up another door and took a cautious step inside. He had stepped into what looked like an old master bedroom. There was a large canopy bed, an old beauty parlor on its right, and a large closet on the left.

The room was very open, allowing Arthur more than enough space to move around. He looked under the bed, half expecting the find the source of the noise, but found nothing. The room fell silent, Arthur tricking himself into believing he had imagined it, when he heard it again, louder. **_Click. Click. Click._** He followed the sound to the closet, opening it slowly. "Hello?" He pushed around some old coats, sneezing again as dust flew into the air.

**_Click. Click. Click._** As if responding to him, the noise came again. Arthur shuffled more coats around.

"Who's here?" He asked gently. All his senses were telling him to turn and run, but the curiosity brimming in his chest kept him there. _What is that?_ As if on cue, his flashlight flickered and turned off, leaving the room black. He felt his body start to get cold, turning around slowly to leave when he heard it.

**_Click. Click. Click._** It came again.

"This isn't funny." Arthur mumbled, shoving the coats in the other direction. "If this is some sort of prank, it needs to stop right here." There was a pause in the silence as Arthur got closer to the end of the coats. _Now that I think about it… Where did Mystery go?_ He looked over his shoulder to find the dog wasn't around. _That's not a good sign._

**_Clickety-click._** The noise changed slightly. He looked back into the closet. _I'm already close… I might as well finish what I started._ Arthur got to the end of the clothes, when he felt a cold hand grab onto his wrist. **_Clickety-click._** He felt his arm get tugged harshly, falling forward into the closet. He felt himself fall forward far more than he was supposed to, and smacked his face on the ground.

"What just happened!?" Arthur asked, rubbing his chin with his spare hand, the cool metal soothing the forming bruise. He looked up straight into glowing white eyes. Unnatural, glowing white eyes that stared back at him. He started to let out a wail when all his senses were filled with darkness.

**_Click._**


	27. Worried

"I knew it was a bad idea," Lewis almost shouted as he and Vivi ran out of the basement and climbed the second flight of stairs. Vivi grabbed her cell phone and called Arthur, sighing in frustration when it went straight to voicemail.

"That idiot and his phone…" She grumbled and put hers away. Lewis pulled out his Walkie Talkie, thankful Vivi had thought to pass them around. He pressed the button and almost shouted into it.

"Arthur?! You better be in trouble if you don't answer me!" He released the button and waited for feedback, but it never came. Just the sound of static over the radio.

"It doesn't make any sense," Vivi declared sharply. "Madame Jezabel died in the basement. That's where her body was found and that's where the blood splatter is. The activity should have occurred in the basement where we went, not upstairs!" Vivi hurriedly pulled out the notes she took. "Is there something I missed? She no longer had any possessions upstairs…nothing noted to be valued by her personally…" Lewis thought for a moment, before snapping his fingers sharply.

"What if she's held to this house as a whole?" He asked in a hushed voice.

"It's possible, but unlikely." Vivi came to a halt at the top of the stairs. Mystery was sniffing the ground around them, searching for Arthur's scent. Vivi's expression became worried when the dog looked up at her and whined softly. "That's impossible! His scent couldn't have just disappeared! That's just not possible!" Mystery whined and lowered his ears, a defeated expression about the little animal's face.

"We're going to have to search for him then…" Lewis informed Vivi, who had her eyes back on her notes.

"This doesn't make any sense," she stated promptly. "There are no reports of people disappearing in this place! Why would Arthur be the first?" Lewis grabbed the papers from her hands and read through them quickly, skimming over the details he didn't think mattered at the moment.

"Well, it says the only people who have been in here are construction workers, police officers, and a few repossession workers." Lewis stated matter-of-factly.

"What's your point Lew?" Vivi asked impatiently.

"I was getting to that," He informed the slightly panicked girl. "What I'm saying is, these are people that don't usually scare easily." Vivi almost slapped her palm to her forehead, resisting it only because Lewis was watching her.

"Dang it…" She grumbled. "We're going to have to look for him then… There are only 10 rooms on the top floor. They're pretty good sized, and three of them are bathrooms, so we should split up and search." Vivi turned to leave, when Lewis grabbed her hand.

"No splitting up," He demanded almost hotly. "We split up the first time, and Arthur goes missing. That's probably what the mastermind wants us to do, split up so he can single someone else out."

"Lewis!" Vivi almost shouted. "Stop worrying! We can cover more ground this way!" She squirmed against his grip, Lewis carefully holding onto her as not to hurt her, but keep her there.

"Vivi no," Lewis said shortly, his voice getting lower. "Listen to me Vivi. This is different… If Arthur's scent disappeared, then there's a possibility that there is a ghost about. If…And I am saying if…He was possessed by a ghost, then we can't go about this like there is some crook behind it. We have to figure out what is motivating the ghost." Vivi turned her attention to Lewis, her eyes watery.

"But we can't take all night on this!" She almost wailed. "If he was kidnapped by a ghost, we may never see him again! Especially after the sun comes up on the first day… I don't want to lose him…" She struggled against him a little more, before hugging him and whining softly into his shirt. "I don't want to lose anyone… I had always hoped to encounter a real ghost, but not at the expense of risking Arthur…" Lewis gently put his arms around her, comforting her in the only way he could. Vivi was a very strong person, and she rarely comes close to tears.

"We need to figure out about the ghost," Lewis said slowly. "If we can figure out what the ghost wants, then we can figure out why it took Arthur and where…" Vivi nodded her head slowly, pushing away from him so she could look at her notes again.

"Well…we can rule out Madame Jezabel…" She said in a soft voice. "Her death occurred in the basement. She killed herself because her lover wouldn't return, and Arthur looks nothing like her ex-lover. If anything, she would've took you Lewis. Since you and I are together, she would've taken you out of jealousy. I'm sure it's not her." Lewis looked over her shoulder at her notes.

"Has anyone else ever died in this house?" He asked her gently. She shook her head in response. "Well… Has anyone ever gone missing in the past?" Vivi started to shake her head, when she turned to him, a slight gleam in her eyes.

"Her kid," She stated sharply. "Her kid went missing after she died and was never found." Lewis made a face, his stomach churning at the thought.

"You're telling me there could be a dead body in this house still?"

"That's right," Vivi said quickly, whipping around her notes. "It really doesn't say much about her kid. His name was Gabriel. He was 8 at the time he reportedly went missing. The only real notable thing about him was that he was mute. He couldn't form a proper sentence, so he communicated through sign language. He was still young, so I doubt it was very good sign language, but that's good to know all the same." Vivi shifted around her notes, looking through them for more clues.

"Poor kid," Lewis muttered softly. "I hope he didn't see what happened to his mom… That would scar me for life." Lewis took Vivi's hand and pulled her down the hallway. "We can figure this out as we search! We need to find Arthur. If he's being possessed by the ghost of a missing kid… A missing mute kid…then it'll take a lot longer to find him than normal." Vivi started to protest, but Lewis looked into her eyes and silenced her without saying a word.

Lewis panted gently, leaning against a door. "You weren't kidding…about the rooms being big…" The last five bedrooms came up clean (so to speak considering everything was covered in dust) and the three bathrooms were thankfully empty. _My biggest fear was seeing Arthur lying face down in a tub full of water… The ghost doesn't seem to be out to take his life at this point…_ Vivi was standing beside him, reading her notes again. She did this every time they stopped to rest, a determined expression on her face.

"I don't think the kid saw what happened," She declared after a few minutes of silence. Lewis looked at her, an eyebrow raising before he could even speak.

"What makes you say that?" Vivi looked at her notes again, very silent.

"The blood stains…" She answered. Lewis waited for more of an explanation, about to speak when she finally gave it to him. "If I saw my mom covered in blood, I would've walked up and checked on her. Even if I thought she was dead from the start, I would've shook her to try and make her snap out of it… Little kids tend to panic and have a low understanding of how death works…" Lewis sighed gently, coming off the door.

"That's a relief at least…" He mumbled gently. "Then…if the kid isn't acting for some kind of vengeance, then what is his goal?" Vivi frowned, the question weighing heavily on her mind as well.

"I don't know…" The two sighed, their eyes falling on the dog as he started sniffing around again. He laid down and tucked his nose under his paws, whining gently. Vivi knelt town and petted the dog behind his ears. "I know. I'm starting to feel pretty useless myself." Lewis let out a heavy sigh, before turning to the door he was leaning on.

"There are only two rooms to go," He declared softly. He pulled the door open, coughing gently at the dust that swarmed when he did. His eyes fell onto what looked like a child's bedroom, though it was covered in dust and cobwebs. There was a small bed in the corner of the room, and the floor was littered with old toys. There was an assortment of blocks, train tracks, cars, and even a few teddy bears lying around randomly. Had it been clean, it would've been a wonderful place for any kid to spend his free time. "Madre di dio… This must be the kid's room." Vivi took a step inside too, looking around at the assortment of toys.

"He didn't play with any of them…" She mumbled gently, picking up a teddy bear and shaking off some of the dust. "Not recently… He has so many toys here, but none of them interested him after he died…"

"That's odd," Lewis stated firmly. "If the kid wasn't motivated by his mother's death, then he should've been kept here by this place. Unable to leave, how would he preoccupy him time? What would keep him here?" Vivi sighed gently and walked across the room. She opened the closet, finding it completely empty. Lewis glanced under the bed, almost getting assaulted by the dust that stirred when he did, while Vivi searched a dresser in the corner. When their search of the room was done, the both sighed and crossed their arms.

"Not here…" Vivi mumbled, being the first one to walk towards the door. That's when they heard it.

**_Click. Click. Click._**

The curious new sound made the two exchange mixed faces, before following the sound where they assumed it came from. They stepped into what looked like an old master bedroom. There was a large canopy bed, an old beauty parlor on its right, and a large closet on the left. The room was very open, allowing them more than enough space to move around.

"The last room…" Lewis mumbled, when the noise came again. **_Click. Click. Click._** Vivi practically leaped under the bed, searching around for the source, but came out only covered in dust. Both of them looked towards the closet, finding it was open.

"That's a lot of coats," Vivi mumbled as she came to it without hesitation. She started rifling through them on the right, pushing them around and looking in between. Lewis started on the left, helping Vivi shove all the coats closer to the middle. He was nearing the end when they heard a loud bark in between them. Mystery sat up, his tail wagging a little as he held up a flashlight.

"We're on the right track!" Lewis almost shouted, taking the flashlight from Mystery. He examined it up close, letting out an unhappy groan. "Only Arthur… How did he get the ONE flashlight with a REALLY old bulb? This thing should've died weeks ago." Vivi fished out a spare bulb from her backpack, replacing it with the broken one in the flashlight before turning it on.

"I bet he'll be glad to see this," Vivi mumbled, before another sound made them hush.

**_Clickety-click._**

Lewis waved Vivi over to him, knowing the noise was closer to him. He shoved the coats all the way to the side, shining the flashlight on the bare wall behind it.

"There's nothing here…" He mumbled gently, the blue haired girl duck under his arm and placing her head against the wall. She knocked her fingers against it gently.

"That's not true…" She mumbled, concentration on the noise as her hand gently knocked against different spots on the wall. "This wall is hallow…" Her hand went to where the walls met, gently slipping her fingers into the corner and under and unseen crack. She tugged on it gently, the wall easily sliding aside and opening up on a long, dark hallway.

"Haunted house, suspicious disappearance, ghost child, and now a secret passageway," Lewis muttered, a small smile on his face. "All we need to find now is some ectoplasm and we can call 'Ghost Busting Bingo'." Vivi gave him an exasperate look, not appreciating his joke at this time.

"Just get your big butt in here," Vivi ordered, a small smile crossing her lips. "I'm not in the mood." Lewis sensed a heavier tone in her voice, reaching out to gently touch her shoulder.

"What's wrong Vivi?" He asked, his voice low and calming. Vivi avoided his eyes, shrugging his hand off her shoulder and shining her flashlight down the long hallway. Lewis wrapped his arms gently around her, pulling her close so his chin could rest on her head. "Arthur is the worst about hiding his emotions, but you're not very good at hiding them either. Please tell me what's bothering you… Please V." Lewis held the sad, blue girl close, waiting patiently for her to answer. Vivi let out a loud, defeated huff.

"I've been thinking…about Arthur…" She mumbled gently.

"What about Arthur?" Lewis asked.

"It's…about his…last possession…" She muttered softly, her voice falling a little.

"His last possession…?" Lewis asked, unsure of what she was referring to at first. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "You mean…the cave…" His voice trailed off, the memory painful. _Now that I think about it… We didn't truly believe him last time…that he had been possessed, but we played along to make him feel better…_

"Yeah…that…" Vivi grumbled, her face falling a little more. "We…We didn't believe him…but now it turns out…possession is possible… So he was telling the truth…" Lewis held her a little tighter.

"Vivi…Don't be so hard on yourself…" Lewis cooed gently. The girl turned around and gently hugged him, her arms squeezing him gently.

"But…"

"It's okay," Lewis said gently, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her back so he can look her in the eyes. "After all the fakes we've gone up against, the villains we've unmasked, the hypnotisms we've stopped, the 'monsters' we've caught, and all the scary stories we've proved as myths, it's only natural for us to be skeptical of a REAL possession…"

"But I didn't believe Arthur…" Vivi mumbled, her eyes starting to tear up. Lewis gently placed his hand on her face, slowly rubbing his thumb against her cheek.

"He didn't exactly give you a reason to believe him…" Lewis said gently, earning an angry glare from Vivi.

"He was scared!" She defended.

"He still didn't tell the truth Vivi," Lewis said flatly, making her sad look return. "It's only human nature to not trust someone who's lied to you, at least not right away." Lewis reaches his hand up and wiped under her eyes, keeping the tears from falling down her face.

"I know…" She mumbled gently. "I know he didn't…but when he did, I still didn't believe him… After everything he went through alone, he told us the truth to try and make up for everything that happened… That was his attempt, and we basically mocked it." Vivi's shoulders started to shake, her head lowering slowly as she let out a gentle whimper. "I'm an awful friend." Lewis pulled her to his chest again, gently kissing the side of her head and humming softly.

"You are not," Lewis said gently. "Before Arthur met you, he didn't have any friends, or a desire to make friends. He was just trying to get through school so he could live the rest of his life however he wanted. He was practically a recluse. You were the one who made him interested in being with other people Vivi. He practically thinks you're a goddess." Vivi stifled, hiding her face in his large chest.

"What makes you say that?" Vivi's voice was a little stronger now. Lewis gave her a smile.

"Because he said so himself," Lewis assured her, "He comes on these cases because he worries over the two of us." Vivi sniffed gently, pulling away to rub her eyes before looking up at Lewis.

"Then we should probably go save his butt again," Vivi said gently, a smile crossing her face.

"We also get to explore a secret passageway in the process." Vivi grinned happily at him.

"Lew, I like the way you think."


	28. Arthur and Gabriel

**_Clickety-click._** The noise seemed to echo off of the walls, ruining the tender moment between the young couple.

"What is that?" Lewis asked out loud, his voice seeming to echo down the hallway.

"I have no idea…" Vivi replied, slipping in front of him again and going down the long tunnel. "There's only one way to find out." Lewis hurriedly followed her, the small girl somehow managing to leave him in the dust again.

"Can we please not try to split up?" Lewis asked unhappily. "Shouldn't we let Mystery lead? See if he can pick up Arthur's scent this time? Isn't that how it traditionally goes?"

"I've never followed traditions Lew," Vivi said quickly. Mystery barked loudly and quickly ran in front of her, sniffing the ground furiously, before letting out a loud bark. He shot off ahead of them in the dark. His barking almost seemed frantic, making both of his humans pick up the pace. Mystery ran for what felt like miles in the dark, until stopping on the far end. He barked loudly, letting out a little whimper.

"He's whining," Lewis declared.

"I'm not deaf Lew," Vivi replied shortly, her words harsher than she had meant them to be. They both came up to the dog, shining their flashlights on what the dog was barking at.

Gabriel.

Or at least…that's what it used to be…

Absent of skin and blood, the skeleton was propped up against the wall, its head tilted over to the side as if he was asleep. His body wasn't doubled over or showing any signs of pain. He had just sat against a wall with his legs crossed in front of him, his hands holding a blanket to his shoulders. One of the hands were slightly open, as if it had been holding onto something, but there was nothing in the little fingers. The skeleton appeared naked as well, only covered by the old blanket and a layer of dust.

"You were right about your assumption with the kid…" Lewis said half-heartedly. Vivi reached her hand out and gently took his in hers.

"Something…had to have happened…" Vivi mumbled gently. "No one…dies like this…" Lewis squeezed her hand gently.

"He doesn't have any clothing…" Lewis mumbled gently. He didn't want to think of the reason why.

"He could've been wearing natural fibers," Vivi said quickly, gently rubbing his hand with her free one. "They disintegrate over time. Maybe he was wearing a night gown or something? That would explain the blanket. Maybe he was cold…" They looked down at the little body, both very silent as they both silently mourned the boy they never knew.

**_Clickety-click._**

The noise made both teens whip their heads over, facing the end of the tunnel. Mystery lowered his ears, sensing something the other two couldn't see. He let out a faint whimper, instead of his normal growl. "We have to see what's at the end of this tunnel." Vivi gently tugged Lewis, pulling him down the hall as the noise started echoing. **_Clickety-click. Clickety-click._** The sound was coming closer together, echoing louder and louder down the hallway. **_Clickety-click. Clickety-click. Clickety-click._** They continued down the hallway, stopping only when their flashlights fell onto a figure leaned against the wall.

"Arthur!" They both shouted as they rushed to their friend's sides. They were about to touch him, about to hug him, when the blonde looked up at them with no sign of recognition. He was sitting against the wall, his arms crossed over and hugging himself, as if he were cold. Arthur's eyes were glowing white, the irises glowing oddly while against the normal whites of his eyes. In one of his hands, there was a long, slim piece of wood. When the blonde saw them, he pulled the stick in front of him and slapped it on the ground once.

**_Click._**

Lewis and Vivi exchanged looks, unsure how to proceed, when Arthur set the piece of wood down and moved his hands in front of him. Neither of the two recognized what his hands were doing, not as individual words, but as its broad name.

"Sign language…" Vivi mumbled, looking at Lewis. "I don't know sign language…" She looked to Lewis, an expectant eye. "Isn't one of your cousins a deaf mute? You should know this." Lewis raised his hands up, defensively.

"I only know a little bit…" He said gently. He looked to Arthur, whose face had turned into a childish pout, as his hands flew in front of them again. Lewis watched, waiting to recognize something, anything. He recognized only one word, when Arthur placed his thumb to his chin, spreading out his fingers in a five shape. "That means mom… He's asking about his mom." Lewis looked to Vivi, the two exchanging an uneasy look.

"What…What about your mom?" Vivi asked. Arthur pouted again, his hands flying into a few more symbols that neither recognized. His mouth was sloppily trying to mouth words, though he was unable to enunciate it right. Vivi stared at his lips, trying to decipher what it is he was trying to mouth. "Where… I think he mouthed where…"

"Are you asking where your mom is?" Lewis asked. Arthur's face lit up, him nodding almost furiously. Lewis started to answer, when Vivi furiously pressed her hand to his mouth.

"We can't just tell him that," Vivi said in a hushed voice. She glanced over at Arthur, watching as a confused expression came across his face. "He might do something stupid while in Arthur's body…" She looked back at Arthur again, behind careful not to let her lips go to the kid.

"Vivi…" Lewis said gently, but Vivi interrupted him.

"Listen, we don't know what he's capable of," Vivi said quickly. "Should we call someone to exorcise him? No wait, he's not evil. He hasn't harmed Arthur. Should we try help him move on? Wait, we don't really know what's keeping the kid here either."

"Vivi!" Lewis said quickly, making her snap.

"WHAT?!" She shouted loudly. "If the kid finds out about his mom's death, he might HURT Arthur!"

"He's MUTE not DEAF!" Lewis shouted in response, making the blue girl gasp.

"Oh…" She looked over at Arthur, who was looking at her with large, tear filled eyes. His hands threw up in front of him, signing the same phrase multiple times. He pulled his right hand up to the right side of his face, his index finger and thumb positioned straight out, the rest of the fingers curled in. His pulled his hand from his right to his left, then threw both hands down in their direction. "He's calling us something…" He did this sign over and over again, before standing up and bolting with incredible speed pass them.

"Think before you speak next time!" Lewis grumbled as he turned and tried to catch up to the fleeing blonde. He ran into the darkness, unaffected by the lack of light as he ran towards the opening in the wall.

"I am not the first one to mess up like that!" Vivi shouted hotly, shooting in front of Lewis. "I recall a haunted house that startled you so good, you hid BEHIND Arthur!"

"Now is not the time for this," Lewis hissed, though his cheeks started to burn. "And will you just LET that GO? Arthur did."

"Cause you've saved his butt so many times," Vivi replied quickly, gaining on the blonde a little. "You might as well tattoo 'Under The Protection of Lewis' on him somewhere. He's been in danger so many times, a black cat would be scared to cross his path."

"Is this seriously the time?" Lewis asked loudly.

"I talk when I'm worried Lew," Vivi said, shooting him a grin. Arthur shot out of the opening, Vivi close behind him. Mystery was somehow behind Vivi, leaving Lewis the last one to get out. Arthur ran to the bed and pulled the covers off the bed, throwing it into the floor frantically. He threw off old pillows, before ducking down quickly to look under the bed. He looked at the two, when they came out, his hands flying in front of him. He put his hands over his eyes for few seconds, then took his hands off, pointed at them and made a wide, circular sweep of his hand. He then squat down like he was hiding with his hands covering his head and face, then got up and closed his eyes again and made gestures with his hands.

"Wait… I remember my cousin doing something like this…" Lewis said gently. "He wanted to play a game…" Arthur continued his little game of charades by walking this way and that way peeking under the bed again at random.

"Hide-and-seek?" Vivi asked gently. Arthur looked at her and nodded. His hands flew into a few more gestures, Vivi recognizing the symbol for 'mom' and 'hide-and-seek' among them. "You think your mom is playing hide-and-seek?" Arthur nodded furiously, though his eyes were watering like before, as if on the verge of tears.

"No… That's not it…" Lewis said gently, looking back at the hidden passageway again. "That's what he was doing before he died… He and his mom were playing hide-and-seek…" Vivi looked at him, her hand going to cover her mouth.

"She… She couldn't have been…" Vivi mumbled gently, "She…She did that to herself while her kid thought they were playing hide-and-seek? That sounds too unbelievable…" Lewis sighed loudly and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe she wanted to be sure her kid wouldn't come looking for her…" He mumbled softly. "He… He had that piece of wood… I bet that was how he signaled to her where he was tired of hiding… The closer she got, the more the sound would change. It was their solution for him being unable to call her…"

"It still doesn't make any sense…" Vivi said quickly. "Why would any mother leave her child alone? Or do something knowing they would be alone?" Vivi's voice was starting to get hysterical.

"Calm down Vivi," Lewis said gently, slowly massaging her shoulders. "Please calm down… It's okay…" Vivi turned to him, punching his chest sharply.

"It is NOT okay!" She shouted. "It's NOT okay Lewis! He's here because no one CAME for him! He was waiting for her to COME, and she NEVER did! He had so much faith in her that he waited!" Vivi's lip trembled, Lewis pulling her into another hug as she tried to regain her composure. She was about to outright sob, when she felt a hand tug on her sleeve. Vivi turned her head to see Arthur, his face saddened as he looked at her. His hands went into another flurry of symbols. The last one, Arthur pointed at his eyes and ran his fingers down his cheeks.

"He wants to know why you're crying," Lewis said gently. Vivi wiped her eyes, trying to look strong for the child.

"Because… Because…" Vivi started, searching for something to say. "Because… Your mom is in heaven…" Arthur's face teared up again, the frantic symbol from before being thrown up again, like when Vivi had said the mother was dead. "You… You're calling me a liar…aren't you?" Arthur nodded unhappily and crossed his arms in defiance. "I'm not lying." Arthur's hands went into the symbol again, before crossing defiantly.

"He's a stubborn one…" Lewis said gently, almost laughing at the child's antics. Vivi let out a low growl, before reaching out and taking Arthur's hand.

"Fine then…" Vivi said gently, pulling herself away from Lewis while pulling Arthur out the door. "We can still bring him to his mom."

"What are you planning?" Lewis asked, worry in his voice.

"You'll see."

She pulled Arthur up to the painting of Madame Jezabel, standing him in front of the old image. "This is your mom right?" Vivi asked almost hurriedly. Arthur looked up at it, before nodding gently. "Listen… This picture was painted over a hundred years ago…" Arthur's hands came up, beginning to sign the word 'liar' again, but Vivi took his hands gently in hers. "Just listen to me…" Vivi said gently.

Lewis caught up to her, falling silent as he watched the scene unfold. "Your mom… She made a mistake." Vivi said gently, holding his hands in hers. Arthur, no, Gabriel started pull away from her, when he met Vivi's gaze. She always had a knack for making people look at her when she was serious. It was something about her eyes, or maybe the look in them, that seemed to captivate. "Your mom… Thought that she was supposed to hide." Vivi said gently. Gabriel looked up at her, a confused expression on his face.

"She hid," Lewis offered. "She found a really good hiding spot."

"She was waiting for you to find her," Vivi said gently, her voice somewhat soothing. "But she realized her mistake, and sent us to bring you to her." The child looked back and forth between the two, a very confused expression on his face. He pulled a hand back, gesturing at them again.

"He wants to know where she is," Lewis informed Vivi.

"Your mom is hiding in heaven," Vivi said gently, a smile on her face. "She got you a big place with lots of toys, to make up for all the trouble she's caused you." The child's face turned from confused to sad, but then shifted over into one of curiosity. His hands came in front of him, his mouth trying to form the words as he signed them. Vivi was good at putting the pieces together. "How do you get there?" He nodded, his face still curious.

Lewis crossed the room in a second, gently placing his hand on the kid's shoulder.

"Look over here," Lewis said gently, pulling out an old pendulum on a silver chain. He dangled it in front of the kid's face. Vivi leaned over and whispered into his ear.

"I thought you could do that without a pendulum?" Vivi asked feverishly.

"That only works when someone is hysterical," Lewis informed her, looking back to the kid. "Now… I want you to follow this with your eyes, and take a few deep, slow breaths." Gabriel looked skeptical at first, but then did as he was told, watching it swing back and forth. "Now…deep breathe in...and out again…In…out…"

Lewis's voice was dropping slowly, becoming deeper, slower, and more soothing than before. Gabriel did as he was told, his eye lids slowly drooping. "You're starting to feel heavy…exhausted… Your shoulders are getting heavy…" Gabriel let his shoulders sag gently. "Your eyelids are getting heavier too…" His eyes slowly drifted down, peering at him through small slits. "Your body is feeling fully relaxed…and you're feeling sleepy…"

Gabriel leaned back a little, Vivi gently putting her arms under his to support his weight. "Now…When I count to 3 and snap my fingers, you are going to fall into a deep sleep." Vivi blinked gently and looked away, feeling herself trying to slip into the illusion as well. His voice seemed to echo off the wall of the old building, rumbling gently. "1…2…

3…"

**_Snap._**

Arthur was surrounded by darkness. He looked around, hastily searching for something, anything in the darkness. It was then that his eyes fell upon a small light, seemingly miles away.

"No way…" Arthur said flatly, turning away. "I'm not running to the bright light. No. I'm not stupid. I've seen all those movies! You don't go towards the light!" Arthur crossed his arms, trying to sound defiant, even though he was shaking badly. _I don't want to die… I don't… I'm too young…and I haven't made peace with myself yet… I still haven't made it up to Lewis and Vivi… They would try to resurrect me if I died here, just so they could scold me for dying…_ Lewis felt his shoulders tremble more, as a foreign voice called out.

"Gabriel!" called out a gentle, woman's voice. "Gabriel come here!" Arthur slowly turned around, looking at the light again.

"That's not my name…" He mumbled gently, inching towards the light slowly. The light, first of all, was very close to him. Secondly, it wasn't one light, but it was two, and they were very small. They were almost like the peep holes he cut into sheets when he was little, before masquerading as a ghost. He cautious approached them, looking through them curiously.

He watched as black and white images crossed his vision, not coming into focus entirely, until it fell on a person. At his eye level, he was staring at the midsection of a white gown. The view slowly went up, staring into the eyes of a beautiful woman. "Madame Jezabel…" Arthur said softly, recognizing her from the painting. The woman smiled down at him, though it seemed nervous.

"There you are my little baby," She said gently, lightly putting a hand to his head. Arthur flinched back, expecting to feel the touch, but surprised when nothing was there. "Gabriel… I know it's late, but let's play a game." The woman smiled, gently patting his head and bending down to reach his level. He watched as two little, fully flesh hands came out in front of him.

He knew sign language. He was taught several languages when he was small, sign language being one of them, so he understood what the hands were saying.

'What do you want to play?' The hands signed quickly.

"How about…hide-and-seek?" The woman offered. The hands came up again.

'That one sounds fun,' came the reply.

"Good then," she said gently. "I want you to grab your little stick, and go hide in your special hiding place. The one I can never find." He saw the vision bob up and down, before turning when there was a loud knock at the door. The woman snapped her head up, a worried expression on her face, before turning back to a forced calm as she looked back down. "I'll go answer the door. You better go hide Gabriel. Go hide and wait for me to find you. Don't come out unless I come for you." The woman leaned down, kissing him just above the eyes.

'Okay Mom,' came the reply, before he watched the image turn around. He recognized briefly the stair case, though it was covered in an elegant rug that ran all the way to the top. He watched as the frame easily crawled up them. The hallways looked new as he walked down them, entering the child bedroom before. One hand enclosed on a slim, long stick, while the other grabbed an extra fluffy looking blanket from the closet. He then watched as the image went out of the room and down the hallway a little more, into a room with a canopy bed.

"This is…the master bedroom…" Arthur mumbled, barely recognizing the room without the eerie lighting and dust. He watched as the image went to the closet, shoving coats away from the left as little hands grabbed at the corner. He watched as they pulled the wall aside with ease, slipping the blanket first. The vision became dark, though it slowly adjusted to it. Little hands fumbled to throw the blanket over his shoulders, pulling it to him tightly.

Arthur had to pull away again, reminding himself that it wasn't actually happening to him. He watched as the figured walked a little bit, before sitting down against a wall. He held his blanket close, the stick in his hand. Then, it fell into a long silence. "What's…going on…?" Arthur wondered out loud. Shortly after, the silence was broken by a voice.

A woman was sobbing, saying something he couldn't quite understand, while the sound of footsteps echoed. The image swayed, looking towards the wall where he came from. He heard a loud voice, a new one, echoed from inside the room.

"Where'd you hide it?" Asked a man's voice, loud and clear.

"I won't tell you," came a woman's voice. Arthur recognized it as Madame Jezabel once again speaking, though her voice was shaking. "I will never tell you where he is. He's far away, hidden from you, you stupid man." There was a loud sound, like someone had been slapped, followed immediately by a sharp yelp.

"What did you do with my son?" Asked the voice in a sharp tone.

"Wait… His son…? Is this Madame Jezabel's husband…?" Arthur asked the emptiness around him, half expecting an answer. "That means…am I seeing the memories of their son…?" Arthur stepped back, remember faintly being pulled into the space the image was now staring in.

"This is hide-and-seek," came Madame Jezabel's voice, though trembling, it sounded defiant. "But no matter where you look in this house, you will never find him. He's long gone and safe from you." There was a loud growl, from the guy in the room, along with the sound of two shuffling feet.

"You're going to help me search the house then," came the voice coldly. "The first place we'll look…is in the basement. I wonder if he's hiding among my most prized possessions." There was a loud squeak, a sound of terror as the footsteps got lighter and lighter, before disappearing altogether. Arthur turned away, gently clutching his stomach as he came down to his knees.

"Oh god…" he mumbled gently. He looked back slowly, only to stare into a set of white eyes. He jolted sharply, backing away from the eyes quickly to see the figure standing before him.

It was a little boy, a small mess of black hair on his head in a messy fashion. His skin was pail, too pail, and his eyes shine white. He recognized those eyes, and they terrified him. The boy was just below his eye level, while he was on his knees, and was very scrawny. He wore white shirt and white shorts, his hands down to his sides. The boy looked around, confused at the darkness. Arthur climbed to his feet, never taking his eyes off of him. The boy's eyes slowly fell on him, his hands coming in front of him as they started to form words.

'Do you know where my mom is?' the hands asked, his expression grim and scared. Arthur was silent for a moment, before pulling his hands in front of him to ask a question himself.

'Who are you?' The boy looked to him and shook his hand.

'I am not deaf,' he responded, 'I just can't talk. My name is Gabriel.' Arthur sighed in relief, clearing his throat gently.

"You're looking for your mom?" Arthur asked out loud. The boy nodded quickly, his eyes filled with tears.

'I'm scared,' his hands signed. Arthur wasn't about to admit his was too, but he felt pity for the little boy. He walked over to him and offered him his flesh hand.

"I'll help you look for her," Arthur offered. Gabriel nodded gently, sniffing as he took the offered hand. Arthur looked around, searching for something in the darkness, anything to go to. That's when the little boy pointed out his spare hand. It was faint, very faint, but a small light was shining in the distance. He tugged Arthur's arm gently as he started to move forward. Arthur followed him, eyes on the light as he grew nearer and near to it. He shield his eyes at one point, stopping short to rub at his eyes. The boy looked up to him, tugging on his arm gently, when a voice called out from inside the light.

"Gabriel!" shouted a woman's voice. Arthur squinted, trying to see who was calling in the light, the little boy tugging excitedly. Arthur looked down, seeing the boy furiously sign with his remaining hand.

'It's Mom!' he said multiple times, trying to pull Arthur with him as he went towards the light more. Arthur dug his heels in, pulling the boy back gently and gaining his attention.

"She's only waiting for you," Arthur said gently, releasing his hand and crouching down, meeting his eyes at his level. He placed both of his hands on the kid's shoulders, seeing the worry and fear shining in his eyes.

'But I'm afraid,' he signed gently, glancing at the light and back to him. Arthur in turn looked at the light, smiling gently.

"Don't be afraid," Arthur said gently. _I am such a hypocrite._ He bit back the remark that bounced inside his skull. "She's been waiting for you. Tell me. Are you so afraid that it's more powerful than the love you have for her?" Gabriel looked at him, thinking of the question before shaking his head. "Then… Run to her." Arthur stood up and turned the kid towards the light, pushing him forward slightly. "It's not as scary if you do it fast." Gabriel looked at him, a small smile crossing over his face. He started running towards the light, full speed, and Arthur witnessed a change in his appearance.

Gabriel's skin regained its normal color, his hair seeming to groom itself, and his clothes gaining a beautiful blue color, rather than white. The child stopped just short of the light to look back at Arthur. His eyes were beautiful, an emerald green that shone more brightly then any real gem he'd ever seen. The boy's hands came in front of him, Arthur having to squint as he tried to see what he was saying.

'Thank you for helping me,' came the reply, the boy smiling happily. 'Tell the purple guy, the blue girl, and the funny dog I said thanks too.' Arthur smiled gently and nodded.

"I knew they had a hand in this," Arthur said calmly, "I'll tell them." Gabriel smiled and turned away, disappearing into the light, before it vanished completely. Arthur rubbed his eyes as the darkness around him seemed more intense than before. He felt himself start to shake, start to panic, when a low voice echoed around him.

"Arthur…" It said gently. The Italian accent was starting to shine through, the blonde recognizing it immediately. "Arthur, I'm sure Gabriel is gone now. Listen to me… This is very important. This is very, very important. You are going to be honest with Vivi and I from now on." Arthur bit his lip, looking around for the source of the voice.

"That's not fair," Arthur protested.

"I don't care," Lewis said quickly, his voice rising slightly before dropping back down. "You will be honest about your feelings, and you will stop hiding things from us. You will answer the questions we have, no matter how afraid you are of the outcome."

"But the truth hurts…" Arthur whined gently. He felt himself starting to get heavy. He blinked gently, the darkness turning into a thick fog around him.

"That's why you need to tell it to us," Lewis said gently, his voice becoming soothing. "Now listen… I am going to count from 3 to 1 and snap my fingers, and you will wake up. When you wake up, you won't remember this little conversation we just had. You'll only remember the details of your possession, but you'll wake up feeling relaxed and well rested."

"Wait…What are you…saying…?" Arthur blinked gently, tiredness filling his body from top to bottom. He felt the world shift, feeling as if he was laying down on his back. "Lewis… Did you…hypnotize me again…?" The low chuckle was warm, comforting. Arthur felt sleepy, very sleepy, too sleepy.

"3…"

"Take it back…" Arthur slurred, his eyes slowly falling shut.

"2…"

"You're…cheating…" Arthur whined almost incoherently, before the darkness sank in around him, pulling him back into an endless sense of relief.

"1…"

**_Snap._**


	29. The Right Words

Arthur's eyes came open slowly, fluttering gently and squinting a little at the bright light above him.

"Wah…" Arthur tried, his throat scratchy. "Wah appen'd?" Arthur tried to sit up, but a hand on his chest easily held him down.

"Vacci…" a low voice said gently. "You need to relax… The possession took a heavy toll on you. You're going to need a lot of rest." Arthur barely understood the phrase in Italian, understanding it means 'Take it easy' almost a full minute after hearing it. He was having trouble processing what had happened as a whole.

"There…was a kid…" Arthur mumbled tiredly.

"We know," came another voice, a gentle woman's voice. "His name was Gabriel. He was Madame Jezabel's child…" _Gabriel…Madame Jezabel…Wait…I've heard those names before…_ He blinked a few more times, his eyes adjusting as he looked around slowly. Lewis was on his left, lightly holding him down with one hand, while Vivi was on his right. Mystery was sitting next to her, his ears drooping down a little in concern.

"Madame…Jezabel…" Arthur started to speak, feeling his eyes focus out again tiredly. _I feel like I could sleep for weeks._

"What about her?" Vivi asked, tilting her head a little, before looking at Lewis. "She wasn't haunting this place at all. It was just Gabriel." Arthur shifted his arm around and under him, attempting to sit up again, but was stopped by Lewis.

"You need to rest," Lewis said almost sharply. "I insist Arthur." Arthur glanced over at him, before slowly swiveling his head around to look at Vivi.

"She…didn't kill herself…" Arthur mumbled gently, his voice lazily trailing off.

"What?!" Vivi almost shouted, leaning over him in a second. "What makes you say that?!" She was practically bouncing where she sat. He owed her an answer now, but it was getting harder to manage it.

"Her…husband came back…" Arthur managed, his eyes fluttering again, exhaustion pulling him closer in its grasp. "She…made Gabriel…hide…and her…her husband…her husband toooook er dow oo the bas…base ent…." Lewis looked at Vivi, absolutely confused by what Arthur was muttering.

"Are you able to make sense of him?" He asked.

"He said that her husband took her down to the basement," Vivi said gently, nodding her head slowly.

"You must be good at speaking jibberish," Lewis said quickly, a playful smile on his face.

"Not exactly…" Vivi said gently. "I was hoping that the truth wouldn't turn out that she left him alone to die… What I don't understand is… Why was she able to move on?" Vivi looked up to Lewis, waiting for an answer when the tired blonde spoke again.

"She…knew…he would…n-neve…fin…em…" He tried, his voice getting softer and softer as his eyes fluttered again.

"I thought you told him he'd feel well rested?" Vivi said to Lewis, leaving him out of the loop.

"If it was my fault alone, he would have." Lewis defended. "Like I said, that took a lot out of him. People who are possessed tend to use twice as much energy then humanly possible. That's why he slept for so long after surgery." Arthur turned his head, looking at the two of them once more, before turning it away from the light altogether.

"G'nie…" He muttered, before his eyes fell shut and he went back into a heavy slumber. Vivi smiled gently, leaning over to run her fingers through his hair.

"I'll start the van," She offered before getting to her feet, and walking out of the haunted house. She almost gawked when she saw the sun starting to rise, sure they were only there a few hours, but she kept to her task and started up the van. Mystery hopped in the front seat beside her, settling near the window. Vivi looked up as she saw Lewis carrying Arthur out of the haunted house, the man slumped over his shoulders like a young child.

"He's getting too old for this," Lewis commented, sensing her thoughts almost immediately. He smiled and easily put Arthur into the back seat of the van, the man letting out a long, loud breath as he continued to sleep. Lewis went around the van and got in, shoving the dog into the middle of the seat with ease and shutting the door. Vivi rubbed her eyes and started driving the van.

"We're renting a hotel," Vivi informed Lewis, who already knew this detail before she spoke it.

"A nice one?" He asked hopefully.

"It depends what we come to first." She replied.

By the luck of the draw, they came to a three star hotel right off the bat. Vivi went inside and bought a room would two beds, coming out to find Lewis with the near blonde draped over his shoulders again.

"I haven't seen him sleep so heavily in a while," Lewis said with a smug smile. "No nightmares the entire car ride, and he barely moved. I know it's unhealthy to get possessed, but it seems…" He looked up at Vivi, her eyes hardening a little. "I'm just saying it's not ALL bad. It's bad, but not ALL bad. Okay?" Vivi gave him a heavy sigh.

"Let's just get to the room." She mumbled softly. Up an elevator and into a beautiful room, complete with a raining shower, a stocked mini fridge, and a microwave, they finally had a chance to bask in comfort. Lewis took Arthur to the nearest bed and laid him in it, taking the time to pull the blankets over him and tucking him in.

"There…" Lewis said with a satisfied smile. Mystery wasted no time jumping onto the bed with Arthur and curling up against his side. Vivi walked over by Arthur, a calm smile across her face. This was what she considered a rare treat. Arthur's face was relaxed, void of the worry lines and wrinkles he usually had, making him look his age for once. His breathing was calm and even, almost quiet, and even let out an occasional snore. He wasn't trembling in his sleep, like when he had a nightmare, or crying silently from a dream he couldn't escape. He was completely calm and at peace.

The sight made Vivi want to cry, but with happy tears. The moment was ruined when her eyes came over the sleeve on his left arm, before slowly looking up at Lewis.

"He can't sleep with that one," Vivi said firmly. Lewis returned her gaze, as if unsure, but nodded slowly.

"I know," He admitted, before walking out of the door. He came back shortly later with Arthur's took kit, setting it on the table beside the bed. "Why doesn't he have any pain medicine?" His tone was coated in worry.

"Arthur said it doesn't hurt him anymore," Vivi informed him, looking back down at Arthur's frame. Deep down, she wondered if he was lying or not. Lewis shook his head in disbelief, but slowly took out the tools and lifted up Arthur's arm.

Vivi handed him the tools when he asked and everything went smoothly, until it came to the part they both feared; disconnecting the wires. Arthur had designed it so that it was pretty simple to do, but they both feared how he would respond to the pain. They didn't want his peaceful sleeping to be ruined. They exchanged worried glances, before pulling them off quickly.

"Like a Band-Aid," Lewis said gently, if only to reassure himself. They both paled as Arthur let out a loud groan, kicking his legs a little and sucking in some air harshly. They looked between each other, Vivi's eyes starting to water, when he stopped and regained his calm slumber. Both sighed, looking to each other once again before smiling gently.

"Thank goodness," Vivi said gently, placing the metal arm on the table beside Arthur. Lewis smiled, leaning forward to kiss the blue clad girl before she could protest.

"Seems even you aren't completely brave," He said teasingly, kissing her on the nose when she pouted.

"You were scared too," Vivi said sharply, crossing her arms and looking away from him. She expected a response, a comeback, but the sharp gasp that escaped Lewis's lips was unexpected. She looked up at him, then followed his gaze until her eyes landed on Arthur's stump. In their endeavor to take off the metallic appendage, they had failed to take notice of the white scares that ran across the top. Vivi was the first to react, pulling the sleeve up all the way so they could look at it better.

Lewis's hand clasped onto his mouth, the large man trying not to cry like a young child. He could see the scars on his arm, the scars that had obviously been carved deep into the skin intentionally. He could almost could the individual scars that were put together to make the letters.

"I never…wanted this…" Lewis said gently, his eyes widen and his voice almost hallow. The word stared back at him, mocking him almost, as they screamed in testament to the pain Arthur felt, but never shared with anyone.

Traitor.

When he had been unable to tell anyone else the turmoil he was going through, he admitted it to himself. Lewis felt sick, moving towards the bathroom with the speed that matched an ex-football player. Vivi froze for a moment, before following him into the bathroom. The man stared at his reflection in the mirror, horror struck as his thoughts swirled around in his head. _He did it because he thought you were dead. This is your fault Lewis. This is all your fault. You should've been more understanding. You should've talked to him right away. You should'v-_ His thoughts were silenced by a small hand on his shoulder.

"It won't help Arthur heal if you beat yourself up over that," Vivi said gently, knowing exactly what he needed to hear in that moment. The large man turned around, his hair covering his eyes, as he leaned down and pulled her into his arms.

And if she felt something hot and wet drip onto her shoulder, she never mentioned it to anyone.

Arthur woke up in a clean bed, tucked under the blankets like when he was a child. He stretched slowly, turning over and closing his eyes again as if to fall back asleep. He looked out to the bed across from him, a small smile creeping across his lips.

Vivi and Lewis, both brought down to their pajamas, were entangled in each other's arms as they slept in the next bed. Vivi had her little legs in between Lewis's, her arms squeezing his chest with her head buried into his shoulder. Lewis had one arm wrapped around Vivi's torso, with the other lightly laying on the back of her head. Vivi's face was hidden, but Arthur almost laughed at seeing Lewis. His head was tilted back a little, his mouth wide open as a thin stream of drool went down his cheek and onto a pillow. The blanket was tossed lazily aside.

Arthur slowly crawled out of bed, walking over to grab the blanket and lay it over them, receiving a small, pleased mumbled from Vivi. He noticed right away the metallic arm was missing, but didn't question it. He never wore it to bed after all. He traveled across the room where he spotted a mini fridge, and opened it eagerly to inspect the contents. _Sodas, fruit cups, lunch meats, and even some beer in the back. How classy._ He spared the beer a parting glance before scooping up a soda and easily opening it with his finger.

"Practice makes perfect," He mumbled gently, before taking a long drink. He slowly walked back to the bed, setting the soda down on the table next to it and carefully crawling under the covers. He smiled softly, rolling over a little, just to roll back when the sleeve got tangled under him. Arthur let out a heavy sigh and sat up, pulling the shirt over his head and throwing it across the room. He started to settle back down, when something caught his eye.

Black markings on the stump. He couldn't make them out in the low lighting, so he leaned over and turned on a nearby lamp. He blinked as his eyes got used to it, before staring down at the stump.

And burst into tears.

**It wasn't your fault little fratello.**

The sobs were enough to wake the sleeping couple, who crossed the space in seconds to offer comforting arms. He didn't fight them at all, sniffing loudly and doing his best to avoid wailing. Neither friend said a word, knowing that all he really needed right now was their presence. The warm embrace didn't hurt though.


	30. Case After Case

_What the hell am I doing?_ As silence filled the air, Arthur nervously peeked from his hiding place, which was in a bush. _How did I manage to get separated from the group, attract cultists, and end up getting chased all over this ridiculous forest? What am I doing here?_ He momentarily remembered Vivi coming in with a newspaper in her hand, the add asking for people to investigate a forest where several people have gone missing in the past year.

Oh how he tried to talk her out of it, knowing ahead of time that if anyone goes missing, it would be him. Now, he's crouched in a bush, a hand over his mouth as he waits anxiously for the cultists to give up their search and leave him alone. His heart was racing, his breathing was fast and short, and he could feel the trembling in his shoulders. He hated this feeling more than anything else, yet here he was. Why was he on another dangerous quest? _That's right… I can't let Vivi and Lewis go on these creepy adventures alone. If I'm not the target, then it'll be one of them._

Though, the possibility that their luck will hold up even if he isn't present did cross his mind, he decided against acting on it. He listened intently as footsteps and low whispers came from all around him.

"Where'd he go?" Asked one voice.

"I don't know," Another answered.

"We've got a fast one this time," a third added in dismay. Arthur did his best to hold still. He was thankful, now, that the pursuit earlier had cost him his orange vest. He wasn't as noticeable now, thankfully, but he worried still that something would show through. His white shirt was muddy, while his hair was practically soaked in leaves. He listened patiently as the voices went off in different directions, dimming slowly and almost disappearing. He let out a sigh and started to sit up.

That was a mistake.

He felt hands on his shoulders in an instant, as he was pushed up against a tree harshly.

"Guys! I found him!" the man shouted as Arthur tried to free himself from the man's grasp. _What do I do?!_ Arthur pulled his head forward before swinging it back hard, smacking it into the other's forehead. The man yelped in pain and released Arthur, giving him another chance at running away. He took it without hesitation, running away as fast as he could while the man screamed for more followers.

He heard a loud growl erupt from in front of him, and briefly saw a flash of white fur pass his vision. He looked back to see Mystery viciously biting the arm of one of the figures, watching momentarily when a familiar voice shouted at him.

"Don't just stand there!" Lewis shouted from in front of him. He was in the van, with the back doors wide open. "GET IN HERE!" Arthur jumped in immediately, grabbing the doors while the dog jumped into the van and shutting them harshly before Lewis pushed down on the gas petal and sent the van into motion.

"That was WAY too close!" Arthur shouted, crawling over the seat and putting on a seatbelt.

"You need to pay more attention Arthur," Vivi scolded, looking over at him from the front passenger seat. "You…seriously! I can't take my eyes off of you for a second without you disappearing and being hunted by the only bad guy for miles." Arthur leaned against the window and stared, not really paying attention."

"Uh huh…"

"What would've happened if we hadn't found you when we did?" Vivi continued. "You could've been sacrificed in those lunatics hope to bring forth a demon to serve them, which is a stupid idea." Lewis let out a sigh and turned the radio on low.

"Uh huh…" Arthur said again.

"It's just ridiculous! They expect something unholy that hates human beings to obey them after they killed on of their own to bring him forth?! That's a major error in logic! A demon won't obey you just because you feed it once! It's like trying to tame a rabid wolf!"

"Uh huh…"

"ARTHUR!" Vivi screamed, making the near blonde jump in his seat.

"What?!" He asked sharply.

"Quit ignoring me," Vivi commanded. "What could you be so possibly engrossed in that you can't even spare me a proper reply?" Arthur looked up at her and sighed loudly.

"I just…" Arthur began, nervously grabbing is arm. "When Mystery attacked the guy back there… It reminded me of…when my arm was bitten off…" The people in the van fell silent, only the radio filling the space with so music.

"We never did figure that part out…" Lewis commented, a sad expression spreading on his face. "What…was that thing that took off your arm?" Arthur rubbed his arm more, looking out the window, but he kept talking. He didn't know why, but lately he spoke whether the subject was good or bad. It wasn't a bad thing really, since he hated lying and keeping things to himself, but it still felt strange. It wasn't like him after all.

"No…I don't know…" Arthur mumbled gently. "I remember seeing a creature…very briefly…a large creature easily as tall as the van sitting down… It had white fur and glowing eyes…and…six tails…" Arthur closed his eyes, straining to pull a better visual from his mind.

"You lost a lot of blood from your arm getting bit off," Vivi said gently, reassuring him. "The details are probably going to stay fuzzy…" Arthur let out a heavy sigh, leaning against the window so his cheek was squished against it.

"But…I want to know what that creature was…" Arthur mumbled gently. "And why it took off the arm… Did it know something about what was going on? Was that its way of saving me?" Mystery whined beside him and gently nuzzled up against Arthur. He in turned pet him very gently with his flesh arm. "The creature…it looked like it was crying… I think…" He petted Mystery absentmindedly, before looking out the window. Lewis looked at him in the mirror, a small smile creeping across his mouth.

"I could always hypnotize you to try and make you remember?" He offered, earning a startled squeak from Arthur.

"NO WAY!" The smaller man shouted as he pressed himself back against the seat. "You made my do SO MANY stupid things last time, and to make it worse, Vivi TAPED IT!" Arthur whined loudly and flopped onto his side, letting out a defeated whine.

"I was just offering," Lewis said as he fought down laughter. He looked over at the blue clad girl who was smiling. The serious air between them was gone for now, but the question still lingered in the backs of their minds. What was that monster?

The next morning, Arthur was woken up by shouting and a newspaper being shoved against his face.

"Can we?!" Vivi all but shouted. Arthur grumbled and took the paper from her hand, reading the article she had highlighted in bright blue ink. It was a case of an old zoo that was reportedly haunted by some animals from the past.

"Do animals even have ghosts?" Arthur asked out loud, as he began to read about the location, seeing the offer of a reward near the bottom.

"Isn't this a great opportunity to find out?!" Vivi asked, almost shouting in excitement.

"I'm not sure about this…" Arthur mumbled softly, looking aside. "What if I get possessed by some animal? I'm sure you and Lew would help me AFTER you got video footage of me meowing, roaring, or even climbing a tree like a chimpanzee. I am not a fan of that idea." He crossed his arms, concealing the newspaper partially under his arm. "You have to PROMISE me you won't make me into the laughing stock if something like that happens." Vivi didn't hesitate before hugging Arthur.  
>"Deal!" She shouted and ran out of the room. Another case was about to start.<p>

**~.~**

**Hey! Sorry my writing has gotten slow. College started back up full stream, and it's taking a lot more of my free time than I expected. This chapter is just really so I can give you something. Please be patient with me. I swear in this next case, I will answer the questions that are still going on about the possession. I swear. Cross my heart and hope to be hated by my expecting readers. The next chapter should be a pretty long one.**


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